あなたは一人じゃない (You're not Alone)
by ANIKET0S
Summary: [CHAPTER TWO PUBLISHED] Hatake Kakashi, most trusted and Naruto's beloved. Kurama, most trusted and Kakashi's protector. Together, they jump through space and time to finish what was started.
1. Prologue

_**Wake up, Kakashi.**_

His eyes snapped open. His senses were messed up. Disorientated, he breathed in. Still disorientated, he breathed out. A cave. Dark. Very dark, and cold. In his peripherals, torches were lit but he felt no warmth. There was nothing but shadow and grime—the smell of iron and dead corpses were enough to tell him to wake up.

He sat. He started stretching his toes, his fingers.

Despite the low visibility, he could tell his right leg and arm were missing, replaced with freshly changed bandages. The last he saw this was through a shared vision. Obito. For a moment, Kakashi thought that this was his place. For a moment, he was convinced. The bile rushed, threatening to slip past his teeth; his stomach churned and was grossly uncomfortable—even made more dire for him to throw up when a voice rattled through the cave.

"Oop—" he heard from somewhere in the corner, "—Hatake-chan is finally awake."

Black Zetsu.

Standing in his true form with his white side following in from behind him, hot on his heels. It took a long while but Kakashi remembered what that thing had done. What that thing did. Who it was living for. Who it murdered. His eyes—or rather, his only eye—narrowed without a world's hesitation. There was a quiet growl that came from him—it was almost feral, and it reminded him of Naruto's god-awful Bijū.

This reality was messed up.

"You've changed."

Then did he believe _where_the _fuck_he was, and how _old_he was.

Uchiha Madara had now made an appearance. Long black hair no longer its beautiful ebony but a ghastly white—his features, no longer young but a horrid old. Kakashi was _livid_. He balled his hand into a fist, hiding the action from their sights. He had to calm down. The chakra within him was about to run wild. As much as he wanted to be angry and send Madara flying, it was not _his_chakra that was growing in his abdomen… he was sure it _wasn't_. It was far hotter than he remembered. As if it was going to combust the moment he would snap. Surely by then, Zetsu and Madara would have realised Kakashi's chakra was out of place. But how was he going to keep his chakra cool? Well, judging Madara was a good start, judging how _haggard_ the old man appeared. Kakashi very well knew that the Uchiha was at his end.

That could only mean one thing—

"Something happened whilst you slept," the Uchiha said simply, moving further closer to where Kakashi sat. The old man broke Kakashi's thinking process, leaving the male dry. The height difference was astonishing when Madara stood by the man—no. Kakashi was no longer a man. He was a child at a pristine 14 years of age. _Kami. Fuck. What did I get myself into?_Kakashi's mind was about to rip open with all the questions piling on top of each other. He wasn't one to repeat himself but he had to say it once again: this was _definitely_Obito's reality. Why the _fuck_ was he sitting through it? Kakashi was supposed to be dead! He was killed by the man who stood in his personal space!

He needed to get out.

Kakashi opened his mouth. He drew in a large amount of air, inhaling that horrendous scent of iron and copper before he spoke. "No, nothing happened as far as I am concerned. How long did I take?" Kakashi queried. Surely that was what Obito experienced. Progress. If he remembered correctly, Madara took Obito in only because he had to, and would've chosen Sasuke as his successor if he had been born sooner. _Speaking about being born sooner…_if he wasn't high on old iron and rusted copper, Kakashi had the nagging theory of him jumping back through time. Maybe even realities? Naruto and Sakura did say they had been forced into another reality before. There was a possibility it was the same. And now he ended up with the Uchiha. So, what in the _Hell_happened to Obito? Kakashi must have pushed him out of the way.

Where the _fuck_was that stupid fool? Probably at home, trying to court Rin.

Black Zetsu moved with his feet then, giving Kakashi shivers down his spine. The _fluidity_of his movements. He should have known from the beginning that something was wrong with Zetsu. For one person to act like completely different people because they were of separate bodies of themselves. (Dear Kami, the Akatsuki were such a wild bunch and Kakashi hoped he had a better chance with them. He did not want to have Kakuzu nearly ripping his heart out for the second time—that shit hurt!) Kakashi watched as Zetsu moved into the light—he reflected a mere portion of the torch's light, turning a dark brown instead of the hideous black that matched Obito's hair. "Half a day," Zetsu replied, using that forsaken, grimy voice he had. "Surprisingly faster than expected, and it seems Hashirama's cells are… bonding much faster than I predicted."

So, he was right. Kakashi was in Obito's place—he hated this already.

With silence, Kakashi ordered his body to move. And it did. The bandages came undone the moment he inwardly screamed his demand. _Ah, there you are._His supposedly-missing-arm-and-leg. The cells were interesting to watch. Kakashi remembered having a chat with the Shōdaime—a quick conversation before the man fell into Madara's trap. He remembered Hashirama's warning about using his cells. They often chose the body, rather than the body choosing them. Hence why the experiments would often fail; the… _participants_ would reject the cells, or lose the fight the cells gave as their _trial_.

That body of his must have had time to become used to the new side before he jumped.

Kakashi knew that the Kakashi in this reality had to have suffered tremendously. Judging by the sudden decline in energy, the bruises littered across his body… he had been _tortured_. Kakashi, being in the ANBU, had to have experience with any and all forms of torture but this. This was the mending of body parts with a 50% chance of survival, maybe even lower than that if Kakashi was going to be his usual pessimistic ass. With a shaky breath, he rolled his shoulder—it popped when he asked, "and what about my other eye?" His right eye had been crushed under the sheer weight of the boulder; his left was fine, but it wasn't the Sharingan.

That time, White Zetsu filled in, jumping out from behind his black counterpart. "Madara-sama implanted his own as your right eye! But what's funny is that you're able to activate and deactivate it." No wonder Madara seemed fidgety. Zetsu took that opportunity to saunter towards Kakashi's side of the room, taking a whiff of his hair. Kakashi watched him, or rather, his expression shifted to something that matched disgust.

"Funny," Balck Zetsu hummed, "you smell different."

_**He does not know.**_

Kakashi snorted in mild boredom. "Must be the cells." It wasn't. Something in him changed, and he had no idea what. Sure, he no longer was in his six feet tall stature—but it was something inside him. Maybe it was the change in chakra levels than what he did feel all those years ago in his own reality. And it wasn't a white cold feeling—it was a red hot feeling. Like as if a demon settled. But he couldn't remember what changed. He remembered a desperate shout before he jumped.

Nothing more.

Madara hummed, cutting Kakashi away from his thoughts once again—Kakashi was beginning to hate him more. The old man moved, that time he moved into the light. One eye was Kakashi's own dark grey, the other was the Rinnegan. _You old geriatric fuck—I better not have your other Rinnegan!_"Madara-sama sent his other Rinnegan somewhere and replaced it with a normal eye." White Zetsu mused. Kakashi wheezed. "Seems like his blood gave him a replacement." White still had to talk even though Kakashi did not ask for it. Thank god Kakashi had his training and his composure. He was about to throw himself at the stupid tree thing if the abomination did not stop talking. And yet, his gut told him to not worry about anything.

Yes, he listened to his gut because it actually had a voice.

_**I doubt Madara would do anything more than what he did to the previous Kakashi. It seemed like he was pleased with your progress, and clearly he wants you to do something.**_

If one would think about it (read: Kakashi), the silver-haired Jōnin was pretty much suicidal. Still was. Maybe that was his advantage—not to mention he was an _excellent_ liar. His power of persuasion was uncanny, many told him. He remembered the time he made Tenzō pay for their meal with Naruto. Now that he was starting to miss. His Kōhai. His student.

"We also made sure you had two instead of one!" Wait. "Apparently, before you were buried under all that rubble, Obito gave you one of his Sharingan. Pretty sick Mangekyō if you ask me." What!? No wonder his chakra levels were messed up! He was barely able to use both Obito's Sharingan. Well, it was possible because he had the ten tails' chakra infused with his own for a short while. How was he supposed to use his eyes without falling onto his face before he could activate them?

More importantly, why was he able to activate _Sharingan_? Last he checked, he was not an Uchiha.

"I'm going to head out and walk," said Kakashi, pushing himself off that bed. He did hide the fact his head was starting to pound when his feet contacted the floor because there was a sudden wave nausea. Nevertheless, the old-turned-young caught himself before he lost composure.

He needed to know where _they_ were. He needed to tell Pakkun. He needed to—

He was in _Obito's_position. Rin was _alive._ Obito was _alive._

His sensei_,_ Kushina_._ The Uchiha_._ They were all fucking alive and _breathing._

Black Zetsu allowed Kakashi to leave albeit with some form of hesitancy. Could have been considered a stark contrast from Obito having to escape the cave itself. Was it that Kakashi was less of a problem than Obito, and Madara thought he could win him over? Or maybe it was what his gut told him: Kakashi was _less provocative_. Possibly so, but Kakashi was a problematic child (or rather, adult) and deathly broken, and probably had fallen for whatever torture the previous Kakashi went through.

As a follow-up of his advantage (of being terribly keen on secret passages—he ought to thank Orochimaru for that), the entrance to the cave was revealed to him: a long dark tunnel filled with webs (ew) and protection wards. He walked through that tunnel, feeling White Zetsu following after him. So, he was who Obito took as his alternate persona. Kakashi had to agree, Zetsu _was_ pretty reckless—almost like a dulled Hidan. Yet, he was resourceful in the sense he was the comedy to Black Zetsu's reality. But physically, he took heavy steps… so heavy that Kakashi could barely hear his own thoughts; he almost told him off for being too loud.

But Kakashi cared less in no more than two seconds before he broke into a run.

Hashirama's cells were clinging to him, but not breaking apart. They protected him as he contacted the ground, protected him from the messiness of the forest. His chakra was controlled, careful to not cause a spark in the middle of the night. His silver hair brighter than before, it reflected the moon's shine when he stopped at the edge of an opening—strange placement, had to be on purpose.

Zetsu landed behind him, he heard, before Kakashi moved to walk.

The clearing was like a tiny part of the forest dedicated to sparring. Grass laid low, trees non-existent. There was a hint of iron and copper—old kunai laid barren as he walked further into the awkward sparring circle.

_**Fight. You need to fight.**_

Kakashi stopped at some point, tucking his hands into his pockets. What was his gut saying? Fight what? First of all, Kakashi had to be off his rocker to be listening to his gut. Kakashi was very logical and listened to his _brain_. This was _fucked up_. The silver-nin barely even knew what day it fucking was. The Jōnin's jerky behaviour caused Zetsu to run forward and stop in front of the sensei-made-student. "What's it, 'Kashi-chan?" White Zetsu asked him, eyes holding a curious gleam as he tilted his head to the side.

Said male cocked a brow. "Why do you think I smell different?"

Zetsu scratched his nape. "Because… I don't know, you smell pretty weird." Clearly, that was not a good enough explanation judging by the look Kakashi gave him; it caused him to sweat. "I mean, you smell older and pretty gruesome. Are you sure you didn't eat anything weird? I swear Blackie does weird things when I'm not joined to him."

The Jōnin knew he wasn't any sort of wolf hybrid—that's _impossible_. Or any sort of hound. there was no way he could have smelled so different or Madara would have said so. His eyes were narrowed. "No, he didn't give me anything weird." There was a fitful silence then—and Kakashi was thinking once again. With his eyes watching the sky. The moon was _beautiful_. So elegant, basking in its glory. Such a cold light to brighten the world. Was it October? Or was it September? Did he jump too soon? Did he escape the cave too soon? "White," he called out to the other, "what's the date today?"

"The 9th."

"Of?" Now that sparked a surprise.

"October. What's wrong?"

So, his gut did know more than Kakashi's own brain had to offer. He had to fight the beast. How the _fuck_was he going to do in his present body? This is _absolutely_fucked up. With a fist made, he inhaled sharply, letting his chest rise and fall. "Do not tell Madara about this until I give you the signal."

"What—"

Moving past the ugly ass tree (read: Zetsu), Kakashi squatted. Nipping at his thumb to draw blood; his palm slapped the Earth, and a wordless Jutsu was performed. A poof of smoke, and then a cute pug appeared in a flash with the same tired eyes Kakashi bore staring back at him. "Pakkun," he greeted, "I need a favour."

There was a knowing glint in the pug's eyes when he smelt who stood behind Kakashi—so not only did Kakashi jump, his own Ninken followed him.

Thank Kami.

"What is it?" Pakkun's voice was lighter than it had been; the cute pug was younger then. So much smaller than his original small. Kakashi had to avoid hugging him but _damn_it was difficult. "You look like you're going to do something evil."

There was a chuckle that left Kakashi's chords. Kakashi activated his Sharingan, both of them whirled awake. Obviously, Pakkun was able to hide his emotions to anyone except Kakashi. The silver-hair man-turned-teen knew Pakkun had been taken by surprise. The last time he known Kakashi had two Sharingan was—

"I'm going to need the Jutsu that Minato used on Kushina to remove the Bijū—I need the Kyūbi." There was feigned malice in his voice that he felt had caused White Zetsu to shiver.

He'd missed Black Zetsu's sneer.

The silver-haired nin knew that the faster he could pull off the task, the faster he could find Itachi—to save him from his own death. Kakashi pushed himself into a stand, clearly not waiting for Pakkun's answer and ordered him out. When Pakkun was gone with the rest of his pack, Kakashi turned towards White. "Remember. Not until I give you the signal," the Jōnin said, "you will not tell Madara of where I went but you can tell him I'm getting my prize." Kakashi finished with an unreadable expression on his face.

But at that moment, he was questioning himself once more. For a moment, he knew why he had to attack Konoha… but now he was taking the chance to properly ask himself: why would he need to carry out the attack _again_? Why would he follow Obito's story rather than make his own?

_**You need to fight Madara again. This time with the people you've saved.**_

Kami.

As much as he liked the company his gut was providing, it just had to be _that_voice again.

You see, Kakashi was not exactly bothered by the voice; it wasn't his precise voice but it melted with a familiar growl: Naruto's Bijū. Like as if his conscience was the fox itself. Well, the Hatake were known to be drawn to hounds rather than felines. Maybe that was the cause? Yet it was so very uncanny! Logical! He was logical! Was being the correct word because he was trusting his gut more than his own brain. Kakashi inwardly sighed, surrendering to his gut as his wound healed due to the Hashirama cells. "It's the perfect time to attack them. What do you think, Zetsu?"

Wherever light went, its shadow followed.

Rising from the ground near Kakashi did Black Zetsu come into sight. There was no face on the entity but the Jōnin could tell he was sneering. "Wonderful, Madara-sama believed you wouldn't dare touch your village—but I knew you had it in you." The voice was low and evil. It dripped from Zetsu's lips like how blood would drip from a wound.

Of course, he was expecting this to happen.

It brought him closer to his mother.

"I do need the chakra," Kakashi explained. His voice dipped in technicality. Sure, he had his chakra levels change but it wasn't enough. If it was to his luck, the Bijū would join him. But, of course, he had to achieve a Hell lot of things: Sage mode was one of them, as well as the perfected Rasengan. He could do that after getting his hands on that Bijū—

_**Kurama.**_

Right. He had forgotten. Kurama.

That was the name of said Bijū.

Mentally apologising to the chakra powerhouse (did he just hear he was being forgiven?), Kakashi watched as Zetsu shifted into a more fluid substance of himself, latching onto Kakashi like a cloak. Zetsu, Kakashi noticed, carried no warmth. He was the embodiment of cold. As much as Kakashi shouldn't care, he did. The last he felt this cold was when he had to gather bodies. Pale, blue, cold. A combination he grew to dread.

"We'll leave you to it," white said, saluting before a dedicated few ran back towards the safety of the cave.

Kakashi barely had the chance to acknowledge and he was off towards where the Black Zetsu told him to go. With both Sharingan activated, Kakashi did not plan. He was going with an assault that led him to his Father. _Bear with it, Hatake_. He repeated in his head, over and over. Clenching his jaw, he fought waves of nausea. He was physically _sick_fighting of fighting. But if he was sent back, but if he was in Obito's shoes… then he had to. _He_trusted him.

Because _he_ was going to be born.

_**Battle the Bijū, you will understand the change.**_

Black Zetsu hadn't said anything along the run. However… there was some sort of feeling Kakashi's skin felt. Something was wrong, and even the entity could sense it. Kakashi fought against questioning as he jumped from tree to tree, keeping his chakra at bay. He knew better than to have ANBU chasing him as he was still running towards the village. He couldn't let his chance go to waste. Alas, it was going to be a quiet night; a peaceful night before the storm.

Peaceful, his ass. Kushina was going to give birth whilst being a Jinchūriki.

Konoha was quiet when he got there, standing at the top of the Hokage monument. He was perfectly perched on the Yondaime's head as he peered below him; the Hokage's office was alight. Seemed like the Hokage was getting ready for Kushina's labour. Kakashi remained in his spot, simultaneous to his summon appearing behind him with a satisfying poof; in Pakkun's clutch did he see a small scroll.

The pug did as he was told.

Kakashi fought a smile, reaching over to grasp his fingers around that small yet powerful object. Without a sound, it opened and Kakashi took his time to read. Nothing exciting—just the common Fūinjutsu and its release. "Where are the rest?"

"Stationed around the village."

"Have they made sure they cannot be seen by anyone?"

"Boss," Pakkun snorted, "you, of all people, should know how careful we can be."

Kakashi had Pakkun stationed where he stood.

With flames did Kakashi burn that scroll, having memorised it in seconds. His prodigy self was coming back to him even though he was too old for that title. Ashes danced around him as he watched upon the village yet again—the Hokage's office no longer shone. Minato was out of the office. Had Kushina gone into labour? He couldn't remember if it was that soon in his own reality.

_**Attack, attack, attack.**_

And attack did he do.

With chakra in his hands, the pug knew it was going to get ugly. It _felt_ugly. Chakra washed over Kakashi's body as he summoned his Jutsu. A Jutsu he thought he never had to use in his village. "_Raiton—_" he felt Zetsu vibrate against him—did he know the Jutsu? "—_Raiden no Moui_."

In seconds was Pein's attack on the village mirrored; in seconds were buildings decimated. He heard the screams, he heard the shouts; he _sneered_. Like as if the unsatisfied part of his violent side woke. Kakashi used Hashirama's cells to create clones of himself—they split up with no order, heading into multiple locations in the village, attacking the necessary targets starting from the monument and working their way towards the huge gates.

_**Find Kushina.**_

Kakashi took the opportunity to find his target in the middle of the chaos. Zetsu was kind enough to cover the entirety of his face (and hair) except for his blood-red eyes that scanned the area. He sensed ANBU joining the fight, a rare chance to see ANBU joining the mess but it happens—several Jōnin also joined in to protect what they could. He ploughed through the crowd, whipping, slashing; lightning was under _his_control. He was a _god._Even those he grew up with did he finally come across sooner than expected.

Genma was first.

Kakashi had to force himself not to falter. He had to fight. He had to take action. Zetsu was very well watching, and he couldn't risk failing for the nth time in his lifetime. To his luck, Zetsu was still protecting him from being known to the world as the last Hatake who was _alive_. He couldn't use his created Jutsu either—he had to fight Genma with such gruesome strategies. He could feel Zetsu urging him to continue as he ploughed through Genma. Kurenai was next but it did not last long as his Genjutsu was far more effective than hers would ever be. He had the bloody Sharingan; who was she to duel against his pair of eyes? The fight with Asuma ended up being a fist fight—as well as Gai—but because of how long he had been with them, both old and new weaknesses he memorised, and made them nothing.

The once strong group of Jōnin turned to unconscious nin.

He had yet to find his team, but he knew they were battling. Obito's warm chakra flamed at certain moments—he was throwing Jutsu after Jutsu. Rin's, much warmer than Obito's, was busy tending to the injured as she, too, fought. A spark of pride bloomed in his chest; he always knew Rin was exceptional though he never did manage to tell her. That was his mistake. Too bad he wan't there to tell her to find Tsunade. She would've been _perfect_. Kakashi was tempted to find them in the dense groups of mini-battles but he had to complete what Madara started. Just so that he could save those who died.

Kakashi jumped away, following the quietened chakra of his sensei. He was led so far deep into Konoha, he'd never been there before—nor did he know it existed. It was deemed so secretive, no one but the Hokage and his preferred ANBU knew about it. The deeper he stalked through the shadows, the more chakra he could sense.

Kushina was in pain, and Minato was struggling to choose which option to choose—stay or leave. Either way, Kakashi was going to choose for him. More hand signs did he make, summoning another Jutsu. His chakra no longer a disadvantage, he could use Jutsu that required _too much_, and he loved it. "_Raikou Henge_!" Human turned into a flash of lightning, and did he move far faster than before—almost matching the Raikage's speed. Through multiple corridors did he rush, skin burning as the lightning shell enveloped his body whole.

With a rage, the lightning shell dispersed and did he scream yet another Jutsu. "_Inbikiri Ekido no Jutsu_!" The echo of his palm when he slapped the flooring shrieked a thousand birds as a wave of lightning radiated from that connection. The Hokage was thrown off his feet as well as the several few of the medic-nin he had. With a look no one could recognise, Kakashi stood.

He was _hungry_for so much more.

_**Get the Bijū. Get it, get it, get it.**_

ANBU flooded the room like water. Kakashi didn't take too much time to get rid of them. ANBU were tough but he had been their _captain_. He'd been through countless hours of pure training. He had his emotions nearly stripped of him because of it. He was a _demon_when he fought. Kakashi was absolutely _relentless._With the crackle of his lightning, the ANBU weren't breathing caused by shock. Kakashi was a man in a teenager's body, his Jutsu were _S-rank_ _standards_. They had no hope in touching him, especially with a killer cloak named Zetsu.

Bodies fell after bodies. Falling like dominoes, he was left standing alongside his sensei. There was trepidation in him when he laid eyes on his sensei. _It is suicidal_, he first thought, _to fight when he's getting angrier by the second._Though, did Kakashi hesitate? Not in the slightest. His body positioning altered; there was a kunai in his dominant hand and he dropped his stance as if he was ready to fucking pounce. Lightning flowed through the weapon, him being ready to attack as each second passed.

He let a low growl before he snarled with venom lacing his words. "The Kyūbi's _mine_!" Kakashi never knew his voice could ever sound like that.

Hokage and Jōnin met head on; their kunai making a delicious clang.

Kakashi was in a certain head space; he was fighting Minato with aggression in his blood. Was Zetsu contaminating him? He couldn't tell—he hadn't fought that much in how long? Well, he just fought in a war a couple of minutes ago. But he hadn't fought _against_his own sensei for a few _decades_.

Minato fought against his kunai, and Kakashi fought against his. With each weight either male piled onto their kunai, their weapon started to chip. This was a battle of strength, he knew Minato figured the moment Kakashi moved in for the attack. Kakashi ploughed his lightning through metal, but Minato did not back down, forcing his own chakra into his weapon. The Hokage's feet were stuck to the ground; his eyes flashing a nasty blue as the thought of protecting Kushina ravaged his mind.

Zetsu took the liberty to peel himself away from Kakashi's face. Little by little, his silver hair peeked.

Little by little, a rabid, cruel smile laced with killer intent peeked.

In his hands did he feel Minato hesitate. In earshot did he hear Kushina sobbing.

"You're—" His sensei started to falter. "supposed to be dead—"

"Unfortunately for the both of us, my dear Sensei." Kakashi's voice held manic. "I am very much alive!"

With a manic scurry of movements, Kakashi tore his kunai upwards—the ring of metal throwing his Sensei into a fit. Kakashi heavily brought his weapon downwards, causing the Hokage to Shunshin to a safe distance but Kakashi was faster—he noticed his markings all over the stone room. Kakashi placed traps back when he first attacked with _Inibikiri_, ready to hurt and trap but not kill. He may have gone insane with all the iron and screaming, but he knew better than to kill. Kakashi trapped Minato, though unbeknownst to the Hokage he could have just Shunshin'ed out of that trap he placed (he had yet to discover it was a trap made out of lightning, nothing more). With the Hokage put into his place, Kakashi made his way over to Kushina—

Minato was struggling to do something.

He deemed it unsafe to properly Shunshin out of the trap; the lightning was enough to bite at his skin even when he barely moved. The pleading in his eyes was visible to the naked eye. A certain light in his eyes died when he realised just how far his student went without the care-they all thought Kakashi died, anyway.

But they did not recover a body. That was Minato's mistake.

"No, Kakashi!" The said man-turned-teen was edging closer and closer to the woman who'd screamed at him; his fingertips coated in chakra. "You can't!" She screamed, fighting against the bonds that kept her still. It pulled at his chest to see her so hopeless. "Please! He'll kill everyone!" Oh, the desperation in her eyes made Zetsu tingle against his skin. He could feel the entity vibrating with such a need to kill. To devour. But he would have his time all those years later. For now, it was just Kakashi.

_Carry through the act._He thought with a heavy tone of regret. _They need to know they've lost me. They need to become strong._It was necessary for Kakashi to sacrifice his name in order to carry out this plan. _This is the only way… you knew that, didn't you?_

Kakashi did not stop walking, the chakra on all five fingertips were a ghastly white instead of the usual blue. Broken from his thoughts did he sneer; it was enough to cause a shiver down several spines. "That is my mission from the beginning, Kushina."

You see, Minato was most probably the quickest ninja in the world.

However, the first time Minato was late was when Obito 'died'.

Kakashi and Rin were left to fight and defend, respectively. Kakashi had knocked himself unconscious with the overuse of his chakra, though he came to with his sensei in his sight. The man was trying so hard not to cry, but he could see the tears welled up. He noticed Obito's eye was tearing up at the loss he felt. He'd just… became friends. He'd just…_changed._Obito gave his eye as his Jōnin gift but gave his life to save his Jōnin.

The second time Minato was late was when Rin died.

Kakashi had pierced her heart with his Raikiri—no, Rin pierced her own heart with his Raikiri. She stood there, choking on her own blood. Eyebrows furrowed and body shaking. She looked so… _fragile_. And she looked like _death_. She fell when she could no longer stand, and he did when he could no longer stand, too. He woke his Mangekyō then, but he never noticed. Minato tried and tried again to get Kakashi back… but it never did work. And being a part of the ANBU made his condition worse.

Now, this was the fourth time he was late. The third reason was standing right in front of him.

Minato discovered the trap was ineffective to hold a damn Kage a second too late. chakra poured from Kushina's Fūin without mercy. Red, hot chakra lashed around like a child when left unsatisfied. Maybe Kakashi made a mistake. Maybe Kakashi came in too soon. But, he felt no mistake was made with his decision. It was the only way to win. It was the _only_way to get Naruto back, to keep his sensei alive.

It was the 10th of October. Naruto was going to be born soon.

The silver-haired nin needed to see him before he would leave to carry out what Obito had done. He needed to hear his cries—but first, the Kyūbi. If Raiton wasn't enough to burn skin, that red chakra was it. He felt as if his skin was going to be ripped apart—Kushina let out the most horrible scream, her shriek was enough to make Kakashi shake. How did Obito _live_ through that at such an age? Kushina was _the sun._He watched as chakra uncontrollably whipped around—

Then did he hear the growl.

That's when he doubled over with the nasty feeling of nausea. Hands clutched at his abdomen—his chakra going wild. What the fuck was going on? _I've been asking that a fuck tonne today, but never get a damn answer. Why do I keep asking anyway?_Despite busying himself by scolding his own self, he knew he felt strange. Like… Jinchūriki strange. He barely had time to assess his own status when a punch flew into his sight—his hand grabbed at the assailant. His fingers grasped with violence and his eyes went wide in horror.

He did not jump through time alone, and his sensei could very well see who joined him on his journey.

Nails turned into claws.

His Sharingan was vertically split into two by a single slit.

Canines grew into fangs, calmed anger turned into insanity.

His heartbeat raced as the same voice, once his gut, spoke with his mouth: "**do not test me, Namikaze. I will get what I want.** " With a snap was the Hokage thrown to the side—the Yellow Flash was _nothing_in comparison to a Jinchūriki, especially when the Jinchūriki was holding two separate Sharingan. Minato was pinned by the sheer weight of chakra Kurama had to offer—Kakashi _almost_moved to help his sensei but couldn't.

He mustn't.

With a bellow of a roar did the whipping chakra reveal the beast that Kakashi let loose. Nine tails further tore down the neighbouring buildings that Kakashi's Jutsu missed. The Jinchūriki who was then Kakashi turned, flashed his bloody red eyes—this Kurama did not attack but wondered what disturbed its sleep. Then did it glance towards Kakashi. They locked eyes and then did his slit of a pupil disappear to show off that pair of Sharingan.

_**Oh, my counterpart is seething.**_

Oh, his voice was _booming_in comparison to what his gut previously sounded like. Glancing up, the beast was not lying. The beast was actually understating the counterpart's current emotional status. He was _terribly mad_. Almost like the beast of their time and reality believed his Kurama was a fake. But the next question was why did Kurama follow him from their reality? What exactly happened before they jumped? As far as he could remember, Naruto still stood so tall just how his father had when he was protecting the village.

_**We need to control him to get him weak.**_

**Well, no shit.**

Kakashi snorted, inwardly rolling his eyes. And finally, there he was. In that little mind space, Naruto often disappeared into. He finally saw Kurama, rather than being behind a cage, the fox was free though unmoving. A tail wagged in anxiety (Kakashi could tell by the way it wagged awkwardly), and Kurama growled from the corner of his mouth; his canine was shown and Kakashi couldn't help but feel rather terrified.

**Should I use the Fūin Minato used on you?**

He asked the fox—or, _his_fox, watching the other Kurama fall under his control with such ease; no wonder Madara wanted him so badly.

_**No, I'd rather not be split into my Yin and Yang again.**_

**Then I'm leaving you to yourself. Don't get hurt.**

Oh, the fight was _maddening_as much as it was beautiful to watch. Kurama took his own gigantic form, leaving Kakashi able to support him with his own body. Kurama was not in his golden form, not even his fleshed form. As much as Kakashi would have wanted to say kurama was a fox… he wasn't. It seemed that Kakashi's hound-like chakra made him look more… wolf-like… and _white_.

Was this supposed to happen? Probably not, and probably best to keep his mouth shut.

The silver-haired nin witnessed _two_titans fighting as he, himself reigned in the mayhem. Kakashi had been perched atop his Kurama's head, Raikiri ready. Lightning fell from the sky as fire rose from the ground. The use of his first Raikiri caused the other Kurama to howl and strike harsher than before—much to his Kurama's amusement. Then did he see, out of the corner of his eye, the chakra of something—or rather, someone so very familiar_._

_Great fucking timing, Obito._

Obito was there, and Rin finally brought herself into his reality. They were joining the fight, though stopped by a panicked Minato. Minato had his arm stretched to stop Obito and Rin from killing themselves. The cerulean blue eyes were shaking as they watched his student battle against the monster who resided inside his wife a few seconds ago. Judging by Minato's panic, Obito was fighting against their sensei's hold. Screaming in such anguish it made the tears prick at the corner of Kakashi's—Obito's—eye. Rin made it worse, he never did like it when she broke down. He never knew what to do and he knew he was the worst person to be dealing with it. But she was there. Crying as if Kakashi had died all over again.

_**Stop it, Hatake. We don't have time to be emotional.**_

But it was _difficult._ He was going to have to leave. He was going to be in every Bingo book. He was going to be known as the embodiment of insanity. Hatake Kakashi of the Sharingan turned into Hatake Kakashi the Insane. He was going to live with it, it seemed. But surely it meant Naruto would hate him. Since he did reveal himself instead of keeping his identity a secret like Obito had done. He felt Zetsu tighten around his torso. As if he was telling him something. But he couldn't hear his thoughts like he could hear Kurama's speech. The alternate Kurama struggled to keep up with a free-willed version of himself—his Kurama also had more killer intent than the other one did.

It took a nasty beating, but that Titan fell though not without Kakashi having to use all his strength. Having learnt just how Tsunade summoned strength, he did so, too. An uppercut was brought to the Bijū's jaw; a loud slam of a certain crack of thunder sounded when he made contact. At the same time, did he unleash a Fūin. Its black ink-like intricacies wrapped itself around the other Bijū tightening, causing him to lash out at air for the reality it was losing.

_**It's going to hurt, Hatake. Prepare yourself.**_

Wait. Surely Kurama wasn't thinking that this Kyuūbi was going to sit inside Kakashi as well? Wasn't this reality's Kurama basically a god of chakra? He couldn't possibly have two different Kyūbi in his system, surely dying in mere nanoseconds with the amount of chakra he would have. Kurama was already the epitome of a chakra store.

_**Shut the fuck up, Kit. All these thoughts—I can fucking hear them. I'm going to infuse the rest of its chakra with mine. It doesn't make me stronger but I don't have to waste time gathering like how I did in Naruto. That shit takes too bloody long.**_

No wonder it was going to hurt. The fox was using his seal that was going to be familiarised to _his_Kurama rather than the other as the killing blow. Dear god, what the fuck—_stop asking, Kakashi._ He wasn't against it nor was he exactly agreeing to it. Nevertheless, it was the only way to get rid of him. Landing on Kurama's crown, he stood with a shiver. Zetsu formed a bodily shape, standing by Kakashi's side.

"So, that's what made you smell different," the other said, watching as Hell broke loose in Konoha. "You're only lucky Madara-sama did not sense this chakra, or he would've killed you right then and there."

Kakashi snorted then, waving dismissively. "I don't give a damn about that old fucker. Go back. I have this under control." With his tone did it make Zetsu back off—unfortunately, not in terror; nothing could make that entity scared except for his mother.

When Zetsu disappeared did Kakashi finally have the freedom to use his infamous Jutsu: _Raikiri_. It shrieked in his hand. He juggled the ball of chakra, easily splitting it into two. He summoned a Kage Bunshin and let it stand beside him. Of course, _Ryōken_needed more chakra than he preferred but because he had a hell lot more chakra due to Kurama being his. 'His' meaning his Bijū. _Don't start getting any weird ideas, Kakashi. Just because you haven't read your damned Icha Icha yet. Oh, wait. This Kakashi never started on that book. Goddammit, me. Why?_

_**Use that as the last blow to get him vulnerable. Then you leave the rest to me.**_

With a need to capture the unnecessary form of Kurama, he jumped. His Kage Bunshin followed. His Jutsu growled like it was, a hound. He used that Jutsu of his like a whip—a trap. A neck was encased by a vine of lightning, causing a loud scream of pain. He tightened his hold, not planning to let go any time soon. He could hear that reality's Kurama just begging for release. Not from the Jutsu, but the Sharingan. Kakashi knew he couldn't. He had to keep his Kurama alive. He needed Konoha to learn. His eyes moved from the Sharingan controlled fox to the fox he knew. Kurama met his eyes and as always, the fox sneered.

_**He's mine.**_

Kakashi saw white. His world flashed and he was in a world where… he saw no one. He felt no one. He was alone in an empty white void. Until he saw someone with stark blonde hair, standing quite a distance away from Kakashi.

It was Naruto, and he was _smiling_.

_Hey, 'Kashi._

**Naruto.**

_Are you doing okay?_

By the time his student asked, he was settled in front of Kakashi. Naruto's arm was extended and his hand grasped Kakashi's forearm. His student looked _horrible_ with the scars, and bruises littered all over his face. The silver-haired nin's eyebrows furrowed with such hurt. He never wanted to see his student like that. Never in a lifetime—his breath hitched when he felt Naruto's warmth wrap itself around his frame. Kakashi never thought Naruto would grow up so quickly. Naruto had been so small, so fragile. But he had grown to be a fine man. Kakashi could feel every muscle contort against his frame; oh, how he loved to be hugged by the boy he watched grow up and had fallen for.

Yes, Kakashi finally remembered.

The scream he heard, the last break of voice heard was from Naruto. Telling him to not die. Why? Because the Hokage came back dead. Sandaime, Yondaime… sure, they had been considered the best shinobi, but it wasn't enough. Minato lost both his arms because; a sight both the son and the student never wanted to see or witness. But he had to sacrifice his time with Naruto. Said male only confessed too late, having appeared on the battlefield, grabbing at Kakashi and protecting him before and after Obito showed his face.

_I couldn't lose you, too._

Kakashi was dying. The blood loss was claimed uncontrollable by Sakura. Naruto clutched him so tightly when _Madara_came back to finish his job. His tears flooded and doused Kakashi's hair. Kakashi became cold, Naruto became too warm. Kakashi was finding it difficult to breathe. Kakashi was dying. Naruto held him with all the strength he had left. He was choking on his own blood as he watched Madara coming closer and closer.

_We lost the fight, 'Kashi. We lost it because we lost you._

The silver-haired Jōnin, no longer dying in Naruto's arms, found himself burying his face into his student's shoulder. Oh, how he missed his student. Obito's eye teared up while his own did not—or, it happened to be Madara's then. He bit his lip, forcing him to keep his mouth shut. He couldn't let Naruto know he was breaking apart without his love. He couldn't let Naruto figure out he felt so alone.

So weak. So fragile—

Naruto made everything so much better; his smile, his voice.

His touch. He was perfect when Kakashi was not.

_You can tell me you can't do this. I'm not forcing you to do this. But you must understand._

Kakashi's face was cupped by Naruto's strong hands. His blood red Sharingan met cerulean blue eyes. Oh, how he missed Naruto. His scent was like a drug, intoxicating with addiction. Oh, how he wanted to litter the man's neck with sweet kisses. Oh, how he wanted to be touched by the man who dreamed to be Hokage.

_I am watching over you. I made sure you wouldn't do this alone. You have Kurama. I know you can do it because you are_my _sensei. You are Kakashi of the Sharingan. You are_my lover.

Back on the battlefield did Naruto stand. Did Zetsu stand. Did Kaguya stand. Oh, she was the woman who made Kakashi feel so very nauseous. He watched as Naruto, with Sakura and Sasuke finish what Kaguya started. They shouted and screamed; an endless cycle of used chakra and gathered chakra dancing around Kakashi's dying self...

The silver-haired nin was alone once more.

He couldn't even feel Kurama then; the beast was in the middle of battling himself, so there was no need for him to be there. As he laid in the middle of such a bloody world, Kakashi was there to watch Kaguya as she tightened the distance between himself and her. But he couldn't find it in him to move; he didn't feel any sort of terror. Though he did feel the trepidation when Zetsu was wiped away with a single lift of her finger; the silver-haired nin heard his scream to be brought back. But she ignored him; clear by her actions when she cupped his cheek. Her Byakugan was left inactive as he stared at him. She barely reached his height, he just noticed, when she wasn't floating in mid-air.

_Hatake._

Naruto was gone, judging by the fact he couldn't feel his presence. Kakashi moved his face away, his heart could no longer take it. He needed to feel his lover. To hug him again. To talk to him. To let him know he was doing okay—

_I killed him a moment before. He only had time to tell you what he wanted to tell you._

The fury in his blood ignited a fire. He never felt anything but anger in a long while. His Sharingan shrieked as he matched her Byakugan. It was a heated battle of Kekkei Genkai. But Kakashi was relentless nor was Kaguya going to lose that fight. None of them moved when they activated their Dōjutsu.

_You are only lucky I gave him that much time before I did not let myself be sealed by him or your other students._

She must have killed Sasuke, too, then. What about Sakura?—There was absolutely no way Kaguya would've let anyone live. He tried to reach towards her but to no avail. Were all their teachings put to waste?

_But I was asked to not kill you, by Yours Truly. I reckoned love got in the way but there is something different about you. Not because of that ghastly Bijū of my son's but your blood. You carry something._

He barely registered her nail dragging down on his cheek, down his old scar. Her nail ripped through skin and muscle to let the blood drip. Kakashi held in his shout, letting the pain pass and end when Kaguya pulled away. Giving that nail a lick—it gave Kakashi chills, the way in which she stared at him.

It took a while but her eyes had flashed, Byakugan activated. Where the sudden burst energy came from, he did not know. He jumped away from her with his hand plastered on the cheek she wounded.

_You! Are a disgrace to my kind!_

Kakashi was called many things but never that; and did the anger come back so quickly. He found it in himself to move for an attack but was stopped by a tail. That was a lie, he was stopped by _nine_tails.

He was dragged out of the field, dragged out of the mass of white. His screams of protests were swallowed by the manic shouts of reality. His world breaking apart, his heart already dying. Reality was such a _pain_. He could barely let his eyes soak in the fact he had returned to Konoha. Time passed slower when in the mind-scape, allowing Kakashi to regain his composure and remind himself that she was not there.

Kurama took over his body, allowing him to rest. Seated somewhere in the mind-scape did Kakashi notice as ANBU followed them with Obito leading the charge. Minato was hot on his heels. Rin was somewhere in that group but he only managed to grab a touch of her chakra. Kakashi heard Kurama's growl as they ploughed through the forest, his legs relentless as they bolted through trees. "**This is outrageous!**" Kurama growled as he dug through Kakashi's weapon bag, aiming the multiple kunai at the group chasing after them. It wasn't enough to make the stop but enough to have them falter. They were going to capture them if Kakashi and Kurama did not stop moving; Kakashi wouldn't allow it. Kurama was there to save their world with him, not to be captured and used.

**They're being mighty difficult, huh?**

_**You humans are so confusing, this is why I always did prefer being alone.**_

**But Naruto wouldn't let you be alone, Kurama.**

_**He was an exception. Just like how you are going to be.**_

"Bakakashi!"

_**That one had been very loud. I'm starting to hate him.**_

**I'll take care of him.**

Kakashi forced himself to the surface, much to Kurama's hate. He stopped mid-run, turning on his heels to come face-to-face with the Uchiha he grew up with. Rin was by his side, and Minato on the other. They watched him, he watched them. Kurama was forcing him to come back into his mind palace but Kakashi didn't want to. The silver-haired nin could not. Rin was about to come forth but he stopped her with the Sharingan he had but never used it. He merely flashed the horrible red.

"If that is really all you're going to say, I'm going to leave."

Next thing he knew Obito flung himself at Kakashi; his hands grasped at what was his black shirt—Kakashi forgot he sent Zetsu away—and tightened his hold as if he wanted to cut off Kakashi's air supply. He wanted to, but he couldn't. It was evident in the way Obito's eyes started to tear up. He watched as Obito's face started to redden in such anger, such _betrayal_. He had to keep Kurama at bay, the fox wanting to attack the idiot before Kakashi could even let Obito speak.

Kakashi displayed no expression.

"You were buried under rubble."

Kakashi displayed one expression: amusement. "Buried but not dead."

"You—"

The corner of Kakashi's lips was raised bitterly. "What? Do you think there weren't any air pockets? Who did I have for a Father? Konoha's White Fang. How was I trained? Heavily and with _expertise_. Did you really think I could die so easily? I was a _ninja_ of _Konoha_." His Sharingan swirled as the derangement bubbled; he forced Kurama to the surface—Sharingan was replaced with black vertical slits. Kakashi's voice deepened, Kurama's voice was so foreign to their ears when they noticed Obito staggered back. "**You dare follow me or my Jinchūriki,** **consider yourself battling the Shikigami. That includes you, Namikaze.**"

Said ninja's eyes were no longer the beautiful blue but had dulled tremendously. Was it wise to antagonise Minato? No, not really. He could very well become Kushina herself if he was pushed to the edge. Speaking of Kushina… was she alive? She was an Uzumaki, she had to have survived the Bijū extraction.

Kakashi judged the passing silence; nothing more could be said.

With a leap they disappeared into the forest. Yes, they expected some to follow but none did. Kakashi was almost certain the Hokage would send someone but he could only guess Rin or even Obito must've said something to keep the men at bay. He could only hear her sobs when he left, when he covered his chakra.

They could've saved him back then, though all believed he died. It wasn't their fault; he had thought Obito died back then, too. Kakashi forced Kurama to a stop, assessing his body. Bruises lingered here and there, as well as freshly healed wounds. At his abdomen, there was a nasty gash that could've been the killing blow. None at his chest, however.

It seemed like Madara did not need to place a Fūin there as he did with Obito.

Kurama, too, assessed nothing out of the ordinary before running again.

A whole day away from Konoha was enough to start planning.

At fourteen did Kakashi become a part of all bingo books. At fourteen would he have to find the remaining Akatsuki. With his status, he did not need Itachi. But he needed to stop the Uchiha coup. The more Kakashi remembered the highlights of his life, the more painful it was going to be. As more days pass, as more months pass, Kakashi became grateful he was able to stay huddled by Kurama when the fox decided to show its original form although a lot smaller. Small enough to sit by Kakashi. His tails waved around as he watched Kakashi work on their plan. The fox had first doubted the Kit would do anything well. But for him to unleash war on Konoha and sacrificing his face to fix it all.

He was not a failure like Obito described.

Unlike Obito's sorry ass, Naruto had fallen for Kakashi. Kakashi had the entire village caring for him, even if the idiot couldn't tell. Everyone did include Kurama. It was an admiration. A swell of pride whenever Kakashi fought with every muscle he had. Admiration certainly became different each time he felt Kakashi move into his personal space to sleep by him for the warmth Kurama provided.

The man was more than capable of handling this alone but Kurama was put in charge to take care of the silver-haired nin until they could return to their own reality. Well, that was Kakashi's choice. For now, the fox had to wait for all the chess pieces to be put into place. They had to wait until they were safe. They had to wait until this reality was bloody fixed.

_**Let the games begin.**_

**Jutsu:**  
_Raiden no Moui_ : Raiden's Fury  
_Raikō Henge (no Jutsu)_ : Lightning Transformation  
_Inbikiri Ekido no Jutsu_ : Lightning Rage


	2. One

**_We should head back, Kakashi._**

It took a while but Kakashi was a pristine 26-year-old once again.

But he had changed; no longer the same as he was in his own time.

Over the years, he became more violent. Over the years, he became less of a talker and more of a listener. Observer, his forever status. Just like how he had himself perched upon the Yondaime's head, eyes watching the dance of lights below. Observing. Unfortunately, he had not observed enough. Kakashi had lost track of time, unknowing what festive season it was in Konoha.

Konoha was busy celebrating, families were out and about in the middle of the night—even the ANBU, Kakashi recognised some, were given a time off. Surely, from the sky, Konoha must have looked _magnificent_ with all the lights. The holiday had to be important for Konoha to slack. The Bijū that rested within him started to stir, growling enough to stir the mark upon his stomach. Hot and uncomfortable, Kakashi brushed his fingers against the fabric of his green jacket, his fingers hovered above the seal. The action seemed to calm his beast down, the growling no longer a bother.

With a great leap, Kakashi jumped into the sky. In his disguise could the missing-nin walk around the village with freedom. No one glanced, no one stopped to talk. ANBU-turned-photographer, Sukea was born. The disguise had beautiful but cold grey eyes, brown curly hair, and purple markings that started from the eyes and stretched downwards but not so far that it touched his jaw. The beast thought it was a tribute to Rin, having the same purple markings but Kakashi brushed the idea past.

On his feet, he landed on the ground with ease and readied his camera. He walked through the village but not without glancing towards the Hokage's office. The Hokage's office was lit. Minato was awake, and so was Kushina.

From the body gestures from both husband and wife, he could tell Minato was being scolded. Not uncommon, just tiring to be around. Kushina was a woman who got angry at most things, including the times when Minato did not show up for dinner for the second night in a row. Kakashi had managed to stand around long enough to hear the shouting every now and then, but was always caught by chuckling too loudly. Of course, he always had an excuse and managed to escape.

But Kushina was angry for another reason. As Kakashi took pictures of the festival, her voice rattled in his head. Having Kurama as his beast, the fox was still very much connected to her. He did not need to use a seal to overhear whatever conversation he deemed important. Kushina was angry over the fact that Minato had done nothing for a small country. A small country in which Kakashi had _decimated_. He was hunting for the missing-nin listed in the Bingo book he managed to steal from a corpse. It left him having to fight and kill everyone because that country had murdered its own ninja. That nin had done nothing wrong, in fact, but they still thought he had been the one who killed many of their civilians. Kakashi had forgotten how cruel his time had been.

Minato was assuring her that he was doing everything he could. Everything was an overstatement. His own village needed tending to because one of their own had gone missing. Yes, Kakashi was brought into the topic of conversation. It caused Kushina to freeze. Kakashi felt himself shiver. Kushina was no one to be concerned for the Hatake, what had changed? Her voice softened when she spoke about the silver-haired nin. Kakashi heard her feet shuffle. She was becoming uncomfortable. Was it because the last time she saw the silver-haired nin, he had taken the Kyūbi from her? No. It was because she wasn't able to—

**_I still hate this idea of this… Sukea nin. Seriously, Kit?_**

**Oh, shut up, Kurama. You like this idea.**

**_No, I do not. Which brat told you I did?_**

Kakashi rolled his eyes before leaning into a stall and capturing a lovely photo of two pups playing just behind the counter. He was about to leave when the stall owner noticed him and made him buy a couple of lucky charms. How odd. The charms were in the shape of a fox and a wolf. He queried about the pair of charms, but the stall owner merely laughed and waved his question dismissively. He bought them despite his nagging voice telling him _no! Stop wasting your money!_Grateful for his purchase, the stall owner bowed and said thank you.

On to the next stall.

The further down he went, the more Genin he realised were hustling and bustling. And further down he went, he finally saw them. Team Seven. Obito and Rin led the charge with Naruto hot on their heels—how funny. Naruto still had his infamous whisker marks on his face. To his left, Sasuke seemed to be talking to Sakura; something Kakashi was still comprehending. Itachi or some other Uchiha (read: Obito) must have said something about the pink-haired kunoichi. He was very certain something had been said because Sasuke was _allowing _Sakura into his personal space, and he was _smiling_. Kakashi stole the chance to take a few photos of the Genin group, and yes did his heart yearn.

It should have been him. Or rather, he should have been there.

But there he was, walking _towards_ them. His shoulder missed Obito's own, purposely unwilling to create a scene nor talk to the Jōnin. Alas, Rin had keen eyes. She recognised who it was and a gleam brightened her face. "Sukea-kun!" She greeted, pulling Obito to a stop with their Genin behind them. Of course, the kids—except Sasuke—were confused. "It's been a while!" Rin still had her chirp, earning herself a chuckle from Kakashi.

Her cheeks reddened. Obito instantly became jealous.

That night, he had dinner with Obito after Rin begging Kakashi that they should 'catch up'. Rin took the kids somewhere, allowing them their privacy. Kakashi did not want to 'catch up'. He did not want to be following Obito to Ichiraku. He did not want to stay in Konoha any longer. But there he sat next to the Uchiha, chopsticks in hand, and waiting for their food to arrive.

Kakashi did tell Obito that he had to leave soon, but Obito took it as 'able to leave _later_'. Alas, the disguised nin thought he was able to eat in silence or eat as Obito was talking and he, listening. But Kakashi knew the Uchiha preferred a proper conversation—and it was _frustrating_. Obito was talking about Sasuke and his newfound _girlfriend_.

Kami.

**_I would gladly eat his head._**

**And ruin our chance of finally getting rid of Kaguya?**

**_Anything to get this fuck to shut up, Kit._**

**You know, you have grown crueller.**

"Kakashi—"

Both beast and human sucked in a breath.

"—As much as I hated him, he was everything," Obito said as he played with his chopsticks.

**_Well, this is new. I've always doubted the kid would speak about you._**

**Kurama. Stop talking.**

Obito laughed, rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand. There was the hesitance and the refusal to meet Kakashi's eyes. Obito licked his lips, and pushed away his Ramen bowl. The Uchiha still refused to meet Kakashi's eyes as he spoke. "Sukea-kun, you must understand that Kakashi was _everything_."

Now, the silver-haired nin was _intrigued_.

**_Must you have the same importance in this reality?_**

**Do I smell jealousy?**

**_Fuck off and listen to the bastard, Hatake._**

It took all of Kakashi's conscience to not express anything. He no longer had his mask on, so hiding his emotions became difficult. He guessed the only thing that saved him was Obito's continuation.

"Minato-sensei really does love Kushina, sure, but we all knew that it was _rocky_." The Uchiha's grip on his pair of chopsticks was tightening; his knuckles slowly turned a harsh white. "Behind closed doors, sensei and Kushina were _suffering_, and the person who could help sensei was Kakashi. It was always Kakashi. I see why. I mean, I _saw _why. Kakashi was smart, calm. He knew how to handle people. Not because he learnt it through books in the academy—shit, the academy did not teach us that. He _learnt _Minato's ways. Knew how to handle him better than I could—_can_."

Obito's voice was trembling.

"Uchiha-san?"

"Sukea," Obito said, now looking towards Kakashi. "My friend was _buried under rubble_. He was supposed to be dead but we all saw him a decade ago, and he fought like a _god_, and we could smell _murder_ on him. After the attack, he disappeared. It's as if he never existed. We only heard phantoms of his presence here and there, but we can never find him. _I _can never find him." The chopsticks Obito had been playing with snapped into two at the blunt force of his grip. "I may have Rin but she still made me_ promise _to save his ass."

Rin. Even in this world. Even though what happened. Had she realised her feelings for Kakashi were more than some crush? That would be impossible given that Obito was still alive and he _liked _her. Shouldn't he be able to persuade her that she _had no chance_?

"Kakashi may have been smart, Sukea-kun, but he was _dumb_." Now _that_ was something Kakashi could agree upon. "He never saw how _pampered _he was. Minato-sensei, Rin, even Kushina-san. They _love_ him. They _care_. Recently, Rin had a fit. She almost killed me because I still haven't found him." Obito let loose a sigh, further pushing the bowl away from him. Judging by the fact he broke his chopsticks (they weren't made from wood), he would've smashed the bowl.

Kakashi took the silence as his chance to speak. "Uchiha-san." He began slow. Swallowed. Looked towards the Uchiha. "She promised you to find him… correct?"

Obitos nodded.

"You shouldn't have made such a promise."

Obito's eyes widened, eyes moving quickly from the empty Ramen bowl to Kakashi's eyes.

"I had promised something similar. A _long_ time ago," Kakashi confessed, "I managed to save my own friends, but he died right in front of my eyes. So, I must ask you this."

Obito's eyes flashed crimson.

"How are you so sure that Kakashi-san is still alive?"

One of Obito's eyes verily turned scarlet.

Kakashi snapped a nerve and he was unsure if he was regretting his choice of words or not. "Don't get me wrong, Uchiha-san, but he _is _in every single Bingo book." He paused when their bowls were taken, resuming when they were left alone. "Every single shinobi is looking for him. No matter the rank and no matter their status, _everyone_ is looking for him. Kakashi-san's bounty is _enormous_, almost unfathomable. If Kakashi-san was alive, sanity would have been lost to him. If he was alive, he would be housing one of the tailed beasts and would have attacked the _world_ knowing how powerful he has become. Why hasn't he done so?"

The silver-haired nin's heart was pounding. Why _hasn't_ he done so?

Obito's Sharingan disappeared. Then did Kakashi realise just how hollow Obito's eyes were. The Uchiha opened his mouth but no words left him. Kakashi urged him to speak, filling the air with silence. When Obito looked at him, there was nothing but _regret_. "Kakashi's been killed, is that what you're trying to tell me?"

A pang.

**_Kit. Your chakra._**

Lie, Kakashi. Lie. You have to lie. Do you want your plan to work? Do you want to go home? Do you want to leave this reality and return to yours? Do you want to return to the boy whom you love and bask in his warmth? _Yes_.

"Kakashi-san had been decapitated by the other Jinchūriki," the silver-haired nin answered Obito's question, turning to face the man of the Uchiha. Kakashi's chakra remained quiet but unstable. "His remains are now in an ocean too far to reach."

A _pang_.

Had he noticed Rin and their Genin had arrived, he would've stopped. Had he noticed both husband and wife were planning to have their dinner at Ichiraku, he would've stopped. But there they were, hovering just outside the stall.

"I do hope this answers your question because I can no longer comment on anything else," said Kakashi, pushing himself into a stand. He brushed his shoulder, as if his ANBU tattoo had started to burn. "I will be calling this a night."

Just before he could leave, Kushina stopped the brown-haired ex-nin by grabbing the man's arm, her eyes swimming in disbelief—typical of her to not believe any bad news. "Are you absolutely certain, Sukea-kun?" She asked. "That Kakashi—"

The red-haired kunoichi had been uncomfortable not because Kakashi had taken the fox from her. It was because she could not _save _him.

Kakashi eyed the man standing beside her. How he missed those blue eyes locking his. Not Minato's, but his son's. Naruto would've been his father's height or taller, if he had survived the war. "You should have received a letter the moment this festival began," Kakashi answered, "one that reads: _he, of beasts and lightning, shall no longer shatter the sky_."

Kakashi vanished and in his place was a torn leaf.

**_It worked, Hatake. I will let the others know._**

The silver-haired man burned his disguise the moment he re-appeared, humming as his response. He stared at the fire, almost getting lost in his own thoughts. No, he definitely got lost. It took Kurama several tries to save Kakashi from a bottomless pit of thoughts. Once saved, Kakashi retreated into a cave protected by a ridiculously strong Fūinjutsu. It was a cave not far from Konoha's gates,

Out came Zetsu, eying the Hatake as he entered. He refrained from asking, watching Kakashi's eyes turn from a beautiful black to a fearful blood red. He stepped aside the moment Kurama growled, Sharingan turning into black slits. Kakashi did not have his mask on, so the beast bared his extended canines. Back into the shadow did Zetsu go. White had been there, too. It cowered—smarter than Black would ever be.

When they were alone, Kakashi summoned a lightning clone for Kurama to control. In that part of the cave, was Kakashi's room. Minimalistic, he liked to call it (Kurama called it empty) because it only had a few things. His bed, a wardrobe, and a bedside table. Oh, and another table in the corner, _that _was used for his stolen parchments, scrolls, and scattered seals. By the bed, Kurama rolled the clone's shoulder, and popped something in his neck before he spoke. "**As much as the others' plan went well, I still would have preferred if you have told them that Kakashi had died from the torture, or be could've been killed by the cells.**" The beast took a second to pause, stretching his arms. "**That ****_is_****why we are here in the first place. He died back then.**"

The silver haired nin scoffed, rolling his eyes. "If Obito were here, he wouldn't let me live—'Bakakashi!'." Kakashi did his best to imitate the Uchiha, and he must have done _well _because Kurama was _sneering_. "'I survived the bastard's tortures! You did _not_!'. Fucker."

"**I bet he would.**"

"But that was not what you wanted to talk about."

"**Was I being obvious?**"

"You said four words. _Four_."

"**Fine. I wanted to talk about this plan of yours.**" A pause. "**Don't you think you should be starting now?**"

"Kurama," Kakashi began with a sigh. "You saw the kids. It's too soon. If I had been five years old and my father was still alive, _sure_, I would be able to start this a lot sooner." Kurama folded his arms across his chest, waiting for Kakashi to continue. "But I can't. Madara _will _come back and Kaguya will return—you said it yourself, we have to fight her again."

The silver-haired time traveller watched as Kurama sat on the floor with his legs crossed and eyebrows furrowed. Kakashi followed his movements and sat on the bed. He knew that uncomfortable silence, the fox was _thinking _and Kakashi could not hear his thoughts. It was at times like that when Kakashi believed Kurama had enough of him. The way his lips pursed, his eyes closed and his eyebrows knitted. Maybe it was a mistake to have Kakashi as the person to fix it all.

Just maybe—

"**I am not thinking about that**," Kurama growled from the corner of his mouth, snapping an eye open to have that nasty single blood red eye stare at the other's own pair. "**You are very well one of smartest Shinobi, and you dare think about something as idiotic as that? Sure, I may look like I want to eat you but I assure you, I do not want to have my teeth sink into your flesh. You're too bony**."

Wow, if Kakashi wasn't as tired as he felt, he would've found that insulting. He wasn't bony, he was _lean_. There was a large difference between the two bodily states. Scratch that, Kakashi had enough energy. He grabbed a pillow from the bed and smacked it against Kurama's face. It was a resounding smack, enough to Kakashi cackle. He managed to laugh two beats before a body threw itself at his face. If Naruto had been with them, he would've instantly regretted putting them together.

They were _stupid_.

As much as they were the smartest beings in that room, they were the most idiotic. Kakashi found himself unable to breathe because of the fox's weight—_boy_, did he gain an extra kilogram or five.

"Kurama—I can't breathe—"

"**I'm waiting for it.**"

"F—for what."

"**Your apology.**"

The slap Kurama gave his forehead was ear-piercing. Kurama did not get his apology—Kakashi was a _menace_.

They talked for a while longer (it was more of a banter) until Kurama called it quits. He let Kakashi sleep, closing the door behind him. Kurama rarely needed sleep—him only needing it to replenish his chakra. He barely got two steps away from the door when a voice echoed through the corridor. Kurama almost let a growl slip his lips. His eyes flickering, he found the abomination hovering around to the beast's left.

"You do not despise your Jinchūriki, am I correct?"

Oh, the snort was loud.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'."

"**What are you going to do about it**?"

"Nothing," replied Zetsu with a shrug of his (it's?) shoulders. That was a blatant lie. Of course it was _something_. Especially when the entity became the goddamn Cheshire Cat. What was the thing planning now? That was something Kurama both wanted to and refused to know. Knowing had the potential to fuel or damage whatever relationship he had with Kakashi—

What relationship? What did they have?

Was it friendship? Friendship, his ass.

He had seen Kakashi naked. He also had to hug Kakashi in order to lull him to sleep at times because the bastard had recurring nightmares. Then there had been moments—far too many moments when Kakashi showered him like a pup when dirt and grime got into the messy array of his fur.

What did Kurama say it was? Admiration? _Fuck that_. Kurama felt more than admiration.

Kurama could see what Naruto saw, and he was _infuriated_.

"**What is the point of your curiosity, Zetsu? My Jinchūriki is all about work and no play**." Kurama added with a scowl, folding his arms over his chest as he side-eyed Zetsu so very heavily. "**Why do you even give a damn**?"

"Oh, it's a liberty I have been given," Zetsu replied, that sneer still plastered on its (his?) face. "Kashi-chan is such a _mystery_, don't you think? He was able to house you right under Madara's nose." If Kurama was betting on his nine tails, he would've bet that Zetsu was _hungry_ for Kakashi just like how Orochimaru was hungry for Sasuke's body. "He is able to activate and deactivate his Sharingan. Don't you think that is strange for someone who does not have Uchiha blood?"

Well, the idiot lived inside of him. Of course he had the very same questions. The fox narrowed his eyes, lacing his gaze with killer intent. "**I am merely a Bijū to be used for his own gains**."

And the black entity did not take it any further.

There was no use to press further. Zetsu was not going to get the answers he'd like to hear because Kurama _did not know_. He wasn't given the map of Hatake Kakashi when they time-jumped. Though, that would be so _fucking _useful. Sure, they had twelve years to sort their shit out but Kurama found himself nowhere close to unraveling Kakashi's damn enigma of a brain. If he was a Yamanaka, he would find himself trapped in a maze within a maze, within the dark.

"I shall leave you to your thoughts, Kyūbi," Zetsu spoke, earning himself a growl. Kurama's eyes were harsh when he watched Zetsu melt into the wall behind him. As if summoned, white Zetsu appeared in the other corner only to squeak at the sight of scarlet. Kurama had no time nor energy to amuse _anybody_.

He had to think.

Stepping out of the cave, he stepped into the light of the moon. Its colour was like the brat's—_no, stop it._ Kurama clicked his tongue in frustration, leaping into the trees. He kept jumping up, finding the highest branch he could, and on the highest branch he found, he sat with a leg bent to his chest and arm resting upon his knee. _So, Kurama. What is Kakashi to you? _What is Kakashi to him? Easy. Just like Naruto. A loyal ninja… a friend. Utterly in sync albeit Kakashi had more secrets than Naruto had to offer. More blood on his hands and more wars had he witnessed. Kakashi was experienced and so _very _different from his hot headed Uzumaki. He would not fight unless provoked, unless asked to for very good reason. To corner the Hatake was a death sentence and was it amazing to watch. The frenzy the Hatake brat could unleash was a sight to watch. His movements were so fluid, so elegant.

So… _perfect_.

Kurama drove a breath inwards. _Yeah, this was a huge problem_. This is a very, very big problem. The more he stared into the distance, the more he could _hear_ the Hatake telling him to come down the tree—

Oh, that was the real Hatake.

Kurama looked below and there was the brat, looking up at him. His eyes were pretty, too. _STOP_. Kurama jumped down, landing on his feet. He let Kakashi rid the leaves that decided to stick to his hair. Kurama did not ignore the small chuckle (or was it a giggle?) that left Kakashi. Kakashi said something but Kurama could not hear him. He stared at the man's covered lips, then met his eyes. Black orbs—maybe a dark grey? So dark they were but Kurama felt himself falling. The silver-haired nin tilted his head in question, Kurama dismissed the man's curiosity and brushed past him. Kakashi was hot on his heels, relentless.

"**Never did I take you for a curious cat**," Kurama smirked, turning his head so that Kakashi was in view.

"You look like you've seen another war in the future—_distraught_." Kakashi rolled his eyes. "What's on your mind?"

_Currently? You are_. "**How different will your Akatsuki be**?"

"Not so. I'm avoiding dragging Itachi into this mess, and that is all whom I can save. Konan and Nagato… by now would've seen Yahiko die. So, that would mean I will have to pay them a visit soon." A pause. Kakashi was changing the subject. "Do you think they'll be given that mission?"

Kurama hummed, its sound almost like a purr. "**The one where Zabuza and Haku made the kit so angry I nearly was able to control him**?" Kakashi's eyes were garing lasers into his skull. "**I would think so. That was out of your control. Anything that wasn't touched by you in the previous reality should happen again**." Kakashi's eyes relaxed as well as his shoulders. Kurama hadn't noticed Kakashi became so rigid. "**That reminds me, we need to talk about our escape**."

The silver-haired man cocked a brow. "What do you mean by 'escape'?"

"**Well, Naruto and I dragged you backwards to fix this. I have no doubt you will fix this, Hatake. Would you like to go back after it is done**?"

Hatake in silence was not something Kurama grew to like. Especially when the colour in Kakashi's face vanished. They stopped walking, hovering by the entrance of the cave. Kakashi was looking at his feet, frozen in place. Kurama opened his mouth to say something—to fucking _apologise_—but Kakashi beat him to it, lifting his head and giving his beast a smile. "We'll see where this road will take us."

Kurama knew he hurt his Jinchūriki. Evident in the way Kakashi avoided him.

When Kakashi decided to join the kids for their Chūnin exam, Kurama tried again but to no avail. He almost came so close to talking to him when it was not Naruto who stopped Orochimaru's snake, but _Kakashi_. He did not use his disguise when he infiltrated the Chūnin exam. Sasuke knew who he was—of course he did, Obito was his cousin and had been Kakashi's friend. Sakura and Naruto, Kakashi hadn't expected, argued that they needed Kakashi for the time being. Kakashi stayed, of course, but he let the kids lead the party until they passed.

Kurama made Kakashi leave, expressing his worries. Maybe he managed to get Kakashi's attention when Kakashi finally donned his disguise. The next part of the exam went through well… that was what Kurama wanted to say if it weren't for Sasuke telling Obito that he had seen Kakashi in the village. Kurama was so sure the boy became ignorant when _both _Naruto and Sakura made him swear to not tell whom they came across. But he would be lying if he said he wasn't amused.

Kakashi, as Sukea, watched as they paused the exams to find the missing nin. It was Obito who left first, almost immediately after receiving word from his much younger cousin. Rin stayed behind with the other Jōnin, and that was when both Naruto and Sakura asked what was going on. Of course, Rin obliged and told them a shortened version of their story. Naruto huffed, instantly blaming both Rin and Obito for not finding Kakashi after they left. Afterall, he was a team player.

"He left no trace," said Obito once he returned. The Uchiha rubbed his nape, a disappointed sigh leaving him. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but there could be someone who has been posing as him."

"Who would want to pose as Kakashi-kun?" Rin sounded so insulted, as if she knew no one could ever be the Hatake. No matter how hard they tried. "Wouldn't that bring them trouble?" She asked.

Kakashi cleared his throat, watching Rin move her focus onto him. "With his status, they foster fear."

Sakura then chimed in, huddling close to Kakashi. That caught Obito's eye… since when did she trust an outsider more than her own sensei? Wow, the Uchiha was visibly butt-hurt, and Kakashi wanted to laugh at him when the silver-haired man noticed. "Can I add something else?" She had asked them.

"What's it?" Kakashi asked, looking down towards Sakura.

"Is it still possible for it to be Kakashi-san himself?"

Obito and Rin looked at each other before turning their gaze towards the pink-haired kunoichi. "Why do you think that?" Obito questioned her that time, beating Kakashi to it.

It took a moment for Sakura to reply, fiddling with her fingers. "I… talked to him for a brief moment, asking him who he was. He claimed to be Kakashi-san, an 'old friend' of yours." She casted her eyes towards the Jōnin pair. "I asked why we hadn't seen him around, he said he had done something evil in the village." Sakura took a moment to breathe and look towards Kakashi, as if she was looking for approval to keep talking. Kakashi nodded. "He looked like he regretted it."

She wanted approval from Sukea because he had been told about her conversation with Kakashi first. He allowed her to speak. "But now I am beginning to think it was an illusion. A Genjutsu. He disappeared the moment we completed the task."

"Do the Chūnin exams now have a Genjutsu as advanced as that?" Kakashi asked, cocking a brow in question.

Rin shook her head. "We would have been told a change prior to the exams."

"We'll raise our guard regardless," Obito added, "we can never be too careful now."

Kurama almost forgot to breathe throughout the whole exchange, watching the exam continue from within. Kakashi was putting them at risk, exposing himself like that without a proper plan. _Was this why that vendor gave us those luck charms? _Kurama heard Kakashi think but did not reply to it, knowing it was rhetorical.

The next part of the exam… Orochimaru was not done.

Disguising as the Kazekage, both the Sandaime and Yondaime were attacked. Kakashi had the perfect line of sight, standing by the other Jōnin. His eyes flashed their contacted grey as he shouted for the Yondaime. The blond reacted quickly, dodging the attack as the Sandaime leaped back. But the old man was not dominant in speed. He would have lost a leg if it were for Kakashi leaping towards them, blocking Orochimaru's attacked with an Earth Jutsu. Orochimaru—Kakashi did not ready himself for it—acknowledged his speed and wondered if he could be any faster. Well, the fastest of them _was _the Yondaime. Kakashi had told the snake shinobi that but Orochimaru cackled, telling him that he was not interested in the blond but a certain brown-haired individual.

So much for avoiding Orochimaru at all costs.

Then as expected, the Hokage brothers were summoned from the dead. Their free will had been stolen, and they moved in to attack the pair of Hokage. Kurama did not know how they did it, but the original Team 7 managed to block an attack just before the barrier had been formed by the _Otogakure no Shinobi Yonin Shū._

**_Call me when you need help._**

**Understood.**

Kakashi did not need any help but Kurama was grateful the silver-haired nin did not give him the cold shoulder. Different to their last dimension, they had the Yondaime by their side, and that time, Orochimaru was clearly outnumbered.

But that did not stop him from wanting to kill the Sandaime, and Kakashi was not letting him do such a thing. He managed to stall the snake shinobi with every Jutsu he had in his arsenal, but never did he use his Lightning nature. He kept the snake shinobi at bay until he received a signal from the Sandaime.

The Sandaime was going to summon the Shikigami.

Kakashi did not want the Hokage to do such a thing but it seemed like he had to allow him. He was, in fact, a part of the four Hokage who had been summoned by Orochimaru during the Fourth Great Ninja war. The silver-haired nin in disguise reluctantly lured Orochimaru into the Sandaime's trap.

Both Kurama and Kakashi knew the old man could only seal the ex-Konoha shinobi's arms. Kakashi realised it hurt to watch from where he stood. It hurt more than where he had stood in his previous life. The sealing process was slow, but it caused Orochimaru and his bodyguards to scatter. Kakashi took it as a chance to run up to the Sandaime—so, it seemed the blow with the sword ultimately caused the Sandaime to fail.

"_Professor_," Kakashi called out, balancing the old man's head in his hands. Many years ago, the man stood so proud being known as the man who could use all five natures. They all called him the Professor. Keen intellect and a pure heart, he was unable to stop his best friend and student. Something Kakashi could very well relate to.

The old man's eyes fluttered open, and then sparkled as if he recognised who it was. "_Reina_?"

Kakashi's breath hitched.

"Ah, no… This is her young boy."

**_Kit, he knows._**

The Third Hokage stopped the others from approaching, his summon sending them away. The Sandaime was there when Kakashi attacked, watching from afar and assessing what the hell happened to the gifted boy. Kakashi was an expert in hiding his chakra but nothing could hide from the Sarutobi. When Sukea first appeared, The Third immediately saw not the boy, but his mother.

As if she never died.

When they were free from prying ears, Kakashi had no choice but to make Sarutobi believe he got his shinobi messed up. "I believe you've got the wrong person."

"_I believe _you know something we do not," said the Professor, "Your mother was a brave woman."

Much of Kakashi's childhood had shinobi looking down on his father. Never about his mother, but truly, she was Konoha's finest. So beautiful, so flawless. All the girls in the village strived to be her. Empathic, loyal to a fault. The epitome of perfection she had been before she passed away.

"I do not doubt you have inherited your mother's Will of Fire, Kakashi." Sarutobi choked on scarlet. "I really am sorry we did not come back for you."

The Sandaime passed away in Kakashi's hold, and the old man was thankful he was not alone.

Kakashi was invited to stay but he did not stay as long as the others liked. Obito tried to talk to him before he vanished, but he could not allow it. Rin attempted, too, but he avoided her until he left. Kurama as well. He mentally shut the beast out, returning to the safety of their cave. Zetsu was nowhere to be found, he must have read the letter Kakashi left him regarding the search for missing nin.

In his room did he hide, and on his bed did he lay.

**_You cannot ignore me forever, Kakashi._**

No, he could not. Though, he wished he could. The Sandaime knew it was Kakashi despite the hefty disguise to hide his scar and hair. How long would it take for Team 7 to realise they had been confiding to their own friend?

_Oh, Naruto. How could I be so careless?_

**_Kit. As much as I hate to say it, but you haven't been careless. Just stupid. Your stupidity continues by not talking to me._**

Kakashi sighed, rubbing his temple as if a headache settled. He was bound to talk to the beast sooner or later. He would have preferred it to be the latter but Kurama _was_ living inside of him, so he had no choice but to talk.

**I don't know where to start.**

**_Maybe when you first started to ignore me._**

**Ah, that… I apologise. I did not mean to ignore you, but you truly had me thinking.**

**_About?_**

**You asked if I wished to go back to our own world.**

**_Do you?_**

Kakashi was unsure. Should he choose Naruto or _Kurama_?

As cliché as it sounded, it was a difficult choice. It had taken the silver-haired man a long while to figure out what being in love meant. Likewise, it would take him a while to finish his current mission, and he was not one to abandon those who had bonded with. Kurama included. They had bonded over the years; it was difficult and awkward but Kakashi grew to trust Kurama. Kakashi trusted the beast more than he could trust himself, and that meant a lot to him.

Kurama meant a lot to him.

More than the beast would ever know.

**_I understand if you wish to return, Hatake. It's only natural for humans to return to those whom they love._**

**But what about us?**

Kurama was unsure. His original host or Kakashi?

Just like how Kakashi grew to trust Kurama, it was the same for the Bijū. He respected Kakashi, being able to establish a connection that was nothing like his previous hosts save Naruto. Maybe Kurama should tell Kakashi the truth. The truth that he did not want to go back. The truth that he had fallen for Kakashi, just like how Naruto had fallen for him.

**_I believe we can figure it out. We've gone this far into your mission, so I don't see why we'll have any difficulty._**

Well, that is what Kurama said instead. He wasn't egotistical but he doubted the human heart. The human heart could be easily swayed and Kurama refused to be Kakashi's second choice. He refused to be a choice. If he was never able to be with Kakashi, then so be it. At least he wasn't a choice to begin with.

Little did Kurama realise that he was a choice.

Kakashi was awake then, when Kurama told Zetsu that his Jinchūriki was all business. That wasn't entirely true, maybe Kurama said it to cover their tracks but Kakashi had grown to care for Kurama. He did not care if Kurama was a beast of power, of chakra. He had his own will, his own strength, _his own soul_. Kurama, as often described as having cold, red chakra… Kakashi found out that his chakra was warm, warmer than Naruto's.

_But 'Kashi, I have to warn ya. _Naruto's voice rattled as Kakashi began to remember. That day was when Kakashi confessed. The Uzumaki was too dumb and shy to say it first, so Kakashi took it upon himself to tell the truth. That he loved Naruto. The boy almost passed out in shock but saved himself from embarrassment by stammering, claiming he fell in love with Kakashi, too.

_About? _Kakashi has been so quizzical back then, cocking a brow in high curiosity.

_Don't be surprised when you figure out that you're falling in love._

_With who?_

_Me— _Kakashi was about to send Naruto flying before the boy saved himself._ I was just kidding! I meant with Kurama, 'Kashi. It's not impossible, ya know? To love him. He's pretty much your type. Well, I don't know if it's safe to say your type because I don't even know_ what_ your type is, but you know what I mean. _Naruto had such a childish grin on his face as he had Kakashi's hand in his; he always told him that despite being a tough shinobi, his hands were so soft to his touch. _If there was ever one day you loved him more than me, I wouldn't be mad. In fact, I would be happy that you approve of Kurama and who he is. It's not easy._

It wasn't easy, indeed. The attack on the village provided such a horrid stereotype but Kurama was not… evil. He was made evil by what had been done to him and the rest of the beasts. Rather than a huge chakra body, rather than respected and admired, they were known as killers.

Monsters.

How cruel the world became when they saw Bijū as nothing but tools.

The world may have seen Bijū like such but Kakashi did not. Could not. It hurt him as much as it hurt Kurama. He would gladly kill those who claim they hate the Bijū, who fear the Bijū for the wrong reasons. Kurama had his flaws but in the twelve years they have been together as Bijū and Jinchūriki, Kakashi overlooked them and found him _perfect_.

**I don't think it would be easy, Kurama.**

The beast hummed.

**Because you are no longer just my Bijū. You're something more.**

The beast should've trusted Kakashi a little more.

**It's weird, no? For a Jinchūriki to fall for their Bijū. **

_You don't make anything seem weird, Kakashi._

_Are you sure?_

_Yeah! Well… except when you read porn in public._

**I would think so if I were a beast myself. But I truly** **have fallen in love with you and it's find if you don't think the same, Kurama.**

_You really love him._

_What are you on about, Kurama?_

_I can see it in your eyes, Kid. The way you look at him is enough to make me feel sick._

_Hey, don't bully me! One day, you'll understand how I feel—dattebayo!_

**It's not exactly normal for a Bijū to see their host in such a manner.**

Kakashi barely had time to complete his sentence when Kurama escaped his body. The silver-haired human almost ripped a tendon when he pushed himself into a sit, watching the Bijū space in the room. Kurama's eyes did not meet his as the fox circled and sat. Kakashi merely watched before he spoke, "did… I say something wrong?"

Kurama did not know why he was acting… like a _cub_. A whiny cub, to be more precise. As much as they were probably a pair of keen intellect, they were probably the worst when it came down to explaining their emotions. Kurama, being a beast, and Kakashi, being born during a nasty war and losing his parents at a very young age. He sat in a ball, tails bunched up and swaying nervously behind him.

No.

Kakashi did not say anything wrong. The beast just did not expect a man of Kakashi's standards would ever fall in love with a low-life like himself. Kurama felt a bubble grow and pop in his heart, it sent a pang to his chest, his breath hitching.

_I truly have fallen in love you._

"Kurama?" Kakashi tried again, worried by the sound the beast just made.

_It's not normal for a Bijū to see their host in such a manner._

Kurama looked away with a growl.

Then did the beast heardthe bed creak and feet tapping towards him. The fox did not move, especially when a hand nested upon his crown, in between his ears. Kakashi had a melodious chuckle when he noticed Kurama's ears twitched to the side, allowing Kakashi's hand some room on his crown. That melodic sound made one of Kurama's ears flap.

"You really don't do well with emotions, don't you?"

"**If you don't stop this harassment, I will rip you a new one.**"

"How kinky." Kurama could _hear_ the smirk. "Never thought you were like that, _Kurama-sama_."

Oh, Kakashi was going to _get it from him_.

In what seemed like mere microseconds, the beast morphed into a man, trapping Kakashi underneath him. His eyes were a wild scarlet, his fangs bared and a growl ready to vibrate in his throat. Kurama's human form was bigger than Kakashi. A tad bit more muscular and defined, and his shoulders broad. Whilst Kakashi had a finer jaw, Kurama's human form was of pure robust. Everything about him look and felt unbreakable. His hair was spiked up top but his hair was long, clasped together with a ribbon. Almost reminded Kakashi of his father's hair. His hair was soft to the touch, matching his fur. If Kurama stood, he would have towered over Kakashi.

"I apologise—" He tried but it was of no use.

_Oh… my absolute _fuck_, Naruto. You have got to be kidding me! _It was only recently that Kakashi always did prefer a man (_a man!?_) who had a titan build (_Naruto, why have you given me standards?_). He did not know what the exact cause was but after feeling so ridiculously vulnerable underneath Kurama's human build—_Naruto, you bitch. You knew of his human form and didn't say anything about it?!_

If the boy had been alive, Kakashi would have socked him.

"**You've brought this upon yourself, 'Kashi-chan**." Said ninja paled at the sight of Kurama's own sneer. Now that was something Kurama would like to see again. "**Now let's see which one of us doesn't do well with emotions, hm**?"

The silver-haired nin did not regret antagonising the beast.

No, no he _did_ regret it the next morning. He had stars dancing in his vision when he stood.

Or tried to stand.

Kurama was still in his human form when he pulled Kakashi back into his—_their_—bed. But the fox-turned-human did not pull him all the way back, but just enough so that Kakashi was sitting at the edge. When turned around, he noticed Kurama laid stomach flat with his arms safe under the pillow. Scars were littered across Kurama's spine, did the Bijū earn the scars their Jinchūriki had? Kakashi recognised the scar on Kurama's hand from when Naruto stabbed himself with a kunai.

Gingerly, Kakashi followed the patterns of Kurama's old wounds. The tips of his fingers waltzing across the Bijū's human skin stopping when his touch revealed four angry lines on either side of the Bijū scapulae. The silver-haired nin's face shifted from a pretty porcelain to a crisp crimson. The more Kakashi stared, the more marks did Kurama's skin reveal.

Handprints, on his shoulders and arms.

_I don't _want_ to hurt you, Kakashi._

_Please, Kurama—I need it. I need _you.

Scratches and bites, on his neck and torso.

_Hold on. Relax._

_It _hurts_. I can't breathe—!_

_I know, I _know_. Please trust me, I've got you._

Purplish and blackened bruises; all scattered in random.

_Kurama!_

The human inhaled sharply. Just what sort of sounds did the beast manage to acquire?

Underneath Kakashi, Kurama started to rouse. Peeking from underneath his arm, Kurama cocked a sneer when he noticed Kakashi assessing whatever damage lingered behind. "**Finally noticed you did a number on me**?"

Kakashi flinched, rubbing a bruise that lingered on the beast's nape. "I'm sorry, Kurama," he apologised, noticing a bruise he made was an astounding purplish-black. "Is it bad I don't remember a good half of it?"

"**That makes the two of us, Kakashi**," the beast hummed, relaxing under Kakashi's hand. "**But at least I remember youmade me carry you to and from the bathroom since you passed out. Lack of air, I think it was. Or was it pain? Not sure. But you begged me to fuck you ****_real _****hard**." Kurama had turned to face Kakashi, sitting and crossing his legs underneath the thin blanket. "**I don't really regret doing that to you. I am really surprised you are able to sit on that ass**."

"You know what." Kakashi pulled his hand away, narrowing his eyes. "You are _not _going to say _anything _about last night."

"**Kakashi, you do know that you're my little secret**," Kurama chuckled, brushing his fingers through his hair. "**No one's going to know how you look like pinned under me**—**though, I dare say, you looked ****_delicious_****—**"

How glorious did it sound when Kakashi smacked the fool with his Jōnin jacket. The weapons in his pockets rattled upon contact.

"**Hey! Unless you actually want me to tell them you looked like you were in heat**!"

Before breakfast was even _attempted_, Kurama thought he was going to die when Kakashi used all the strength in his legs to suffocate the idiotic beast. When breakfast was finally attempted, everything… _hurt_. Even sitting became an issue. Standing was also an issue. Kakashi was sure he sprained his back.

His muscles were so sore, White Zetsu's curiosity got the better of him and the entity just had to ask—

"'Kashi-chan… are you okay."

Said male choked on his miso soup.

Entity and Bijū eyed one another, which promoted White Zetsu to ask about their plans. Of course, Kurama led the conversation, answering the questions they were suspecting. Who were the missing nin? Where could they find the rest? Were they going to stay with them? Just like Bijū, they were scattered. Just like the Bijū, they had monstrous power. And just like Kurama, they were going to stay with them.

"We'll find the rest—it's no biggie," White Zetsu chimed like a child he was, hovering behind his counterpart. "Blackie-chan! Seems like you're stuck with me again!"

To Kakashi's amusement, Black _hated _it but begrudgingly agreed that they will have to be stuck together. Supposedly, Madara and Kakashi did not know Zetsu's true purpose, believing he was an outcome of Madara's… whatever it was, Kakashi did not pay attention because it was a lie and Zetsu was working for Kaguya.

"It seems so," said Black Zetsu, "what will you be doing whilst we are gone, 'Kashi-chan?"

Kakashi answered, "I will have to keep paying visits to Konoha. Establish a weak point. I want to be able to attack them without worry we'll fail." He took a moment to pause, looking over at Kurama. Now that the Third had passed, and the Yondaime's position was being challenged, the next chapter to their story was the next Hokage. "How long do we have until the Yondaime finds a successor?"

"**Not long. They're beginning to look for candidates**."

**Do you think Tsunade-sama will take her seat in this world?**

**_Most likely. Again, that was not of your control._**

"Then, we don't have long until Konoha regains its strength. We have no choice but to form the Akatsuki. _Now_." Kakashi whipped his eyes—Sharingan activated—towards Zetsu. "You are dismissed."

With that, the entities dispersed (Kakashi figured it was easy for them to leave just like that because it was _their _plan that was starting to work), leaving both Bijū and Jinchūriki alone. When left alone did Kakashi feel the dread slowly climb. When left alone did Kakashi feel the task was becoming a little too… daunting.

Kurama noticed, taking both of Kakashi's hands into his own. You see, the fox had morphed into the form Zetsu had seen him take, not the one that Kakashi had seen last night. Only when he felt Kakashi relax did he shift back to his true figured it was better for Kakashi, and definitely, it was. Kakashi dove into him, pressing against the exposed, bruised skin.

Was Kakashi growing cold to the touch?

"**Just a little more, 'Kashi**," he said reassuringly, "**then it's all over**."

"It's a hefty price we need to pay for our freedom."

"**But it will be worth it**," Kurama added, moving to cup Kakashi's masked face. His eyes were really… very pretty when Kakashi's Dōjutsu was activated. Well, he was pretty good looking with one Sharingan but having two made it ever better. "**I promise you**."

Kakashi was not one to like promises but when Kurama made them, his heart fluttered.

Though, happiness was not an emotion to stay forever. It never did—that's how bad Kakashi's luck was. You see, there was something. Something happening to the Jinchūriki, but the neither beast nor human knew what it was. Kakashi _was_, in fact, growing cold. Ever since that dream last night, he felt off. He felt wrong.

So wrong that Kurama's promise began to feel uncanny.

Kaguya's face continued to haunt Kakashi's dreams, her voice like a poison. Even when Kurama was by his side day and night, Kakashi could not get rid of her face. Kakashi planned on telling Kurama what was bothering him, but it seemed like another dream had beaten him to it.

The fox was awake when it happened, watching Kakashi writhe as if he was being strangled. Pressed against him, Kakashi's body lost all its warmth. His body had been so cold, Kurama thought his touch was of fire. Kurama was perfectly hovered over Kakashi, about to try and wake him up until Kakashi's hand shot up and grabbed his own neck and _squeezed_. A few days ago, he was strangled out of humour, but this grip was something else. From narrowed eyes did he see Kakashi's eyes shine a beautiful vermillion, growing ever brighter as the shadow on his face darkened.

Was this _another _Hiruko incident?

Oh, that incident was nothing compared to this because if Kurama looked close enough…

_Hello, my dear abomination._

Reality split and tore, sending Kurama into a void. The tug had been too great, the Bijū believing he was dying for a second. There was nothing at first then there was a nasty accumulation of Nature energy. Kurama, because he could not risk it, was forced into his Bijū form, heart hammering against his ribs.

His heart hammered in _fear_.

A body came out of the void in front of him. A pale hand with black, sharp nails reached out. Clawing. Once the body was freed, naked, it began to fall as little by little, began to morph into a woman.

_My dear little, helpless child._

As the body changed and caught itself from meeting the bottom, a cruel smile settled on the eyeless face. Then, a pair of Byakugan stared at him. Activated, not dormant. The woman's eyes were wide but overpowered by the sneer stitched onto her face.

_It's been so long. Tell me, have you come back to kill me?_

Quickly shifting to his human form, Kurama narrowly missed a clawed hand to the face. The sudden swipe was so fast, Kurama felt the heat. Kurama parried and dodged when he could. Because it was not he whom she was fighting, but the man with the silver locks. Kakashi invaded the Bijū's sight, his Raikiri shrieking but Kurama couldn't hear it.

_Has no one told you it is wrong for you to be attacking your mother like this?_

Her laugh was _manic _as her Byakugan gleamed in the dark_._

Wait. _What_.

There was no possibility Kaguya had been Reina—

_Do not speak of her name!_

Kurama's ears were _ringing_, her voice echoing with a vengeance. The void shattered around them. Images of what seemed like memories were of a colourful array behind her. Voices. There were too many voices. So loud—_too loud_. Kurama could barely think. The embodiment of Kaguya fizzed in his vision. Her image cracking like glass, her figure became a discarded porcelain doll.

Kakashi had vanished.

Kurama had lost sight of him.

The beast tried to find his voice, but nothing came out. Not even a single syllable of a scream. Nor could he move. The void took a hold of his feet, trapping him. _Was this what Kakashi had been dreaming all along? _Kurama did not like it. Kurama did _not _like this one bit. Stripped of his senses, he had no choice. His chakra flourished like raging fire; its brightness shone in the dark pit of emptiness.

With a fury, he set the world on fire.

For a moment, in that blaze, he thought he saw a ghost of his Jinchūriki staring at him.

For a moment… in that blaze, he thought he saw Kakashi smiling at him.

_Please, Kurama. _Out of all voices, this one caught the beast off guard. _This is not your fight._

The void flared white.

_You were never meant to be hers, Kakashi! You are _my _abomination!_

**Group(s) of People:**  
_Otogakure no Shinobi Yonin Shū_ : The Sound Four


	3. Review Replies 1

**Here is the first batch of replies for the reviews!**

* * *

Anonymous review by Co:  
I'm confused why he resolved follow Madara plan? Madara had put in him the same seal Obito had in heart? It does make sense it being the reason why he is acting so weird. The battle in his dimension went wrong a Naruto send him way with Kurama or he tried turn back the time but fucked up and now past changed. I'm confused.

My answer:  
No, Madara did not put the seal on Kakashi's heart. Now, I would like to explain that I will be answering all questions in due time. I am only two chapters into this story. Please wait for the next few chapters.

— — —

Review by Prescripto13:  
I'm enjoying this one!

My answer:  
Thank you very much! I appreciate it!


	4. Two

**_Come back to me, Kakashi._**

Time travel. I would call it a funny feat.

It was only a theory, at first. It was only a dream. A notion. A desire. No one thought more than nothing when it was declared forbidden by the woman who was declared kami-level, Kaguya.

She loathed the idea of humans time travelling. It rendered her useless.

Though, despite the warnings he received from his Mother, Hagoromo did devise another time jump theory: what if we travelled back in time but jumped into a reality where you died, taking over that body to live their life?

Theory and reality, a thin line drew the difference. Even thinner when Hagoromo started to devise such a Jutsu. He often went missing, a spark of chakra often felt and drove others to follow. It got Hagoromo on the run. Kaguya trying to find him and make him stop.

This day was that day he completed the Jutsu.

I stood tall as my short, silver hair danced in the wind. My eyes were wide when I saw my two older brothers run towards me, heavily coated with wounds and bruises; of course, I panicked.

The eldest sibling was wise, and pretty much an old fart. A star child, and being the eldest gave him that perk. The middle child, Hamura, was quiet. Mother cared for him so much, we all believed he was the favourite child. He always reassured us by saying it was only because he had her eyes. If that were the case, I, the youngest, would have been the favourite. I inherited her divine being. I looked like her.

I was the doppelgänger of the family.

However, I was uncared for. My mother had been my mother when I was a child. But she changed. Only with my brothers did I learn to love, to cherish, to protect.

My Mother loathed my being, and yet no one knew why. Was it because I looked too much like Mother? Did she know something of me? Whatever the reasons were, my own Mother would sacrifice the entire world to get rid of me. She never loved me. I was worth nothing, and I became her mistake. Every day and every night, my brothers had to stop Mother from sinking her fangs into my soul.

My chest tightened.

I knew I wasn't going to last long.

As I watched the eldest run up to me, my eyebrows furrowed. His hands reached out, grabbing me by arms. That was when I realised his eyes were no longer scarlet but a beautiful lavender. The middle child's eyes were also active—what was he looking for? Our Mother hadn't been here.

But she was going to be.

_Otōto. We need to get you out of here._

A sentence I grew to hate.

No matter our Jutsu prowess, we were still powerless against her, in every matter, shape or form. So powerless we did not see the forthcoming attack. I did not feel her nails dive into my flesh. All I felt was a sudden wave of air, separating us. Then I saw her eyes and they screamed terror.

My brothers were thrown at the force of her attack. Hagoromo looked terribly surprised. Was she supposed to be killed before they returned to me? Clearly, she was alive.

Her nails were sharp as they dug into my skin, they forced me to stay still. Her nails grew in length and then something went through my chest. I could feel it, and it stung. My chakra felt like it wasn't mine—a violent tug did my body make when I was grounded. My Mother's whisper went by unheard, and what I thought were… no, there were tears.

Her Kuroki Junshinki forbade me to function properly, I could only watch her.

Regret. Regret?

Her chakra was boiling.

Hagoromo, behind her, had a battle cry split his lips as he drove our Mother away. Hamura took the chance to clamber towards me, hands fumbling to stop the decay spreading from the Kuroki Junshinki embedded in my chest. He was speaking, begging. My hands, trying to stop him. No matter how strong my will was, I was still going to die. Like glass did my skin seem, breaking away. Like a porcelain doll. Like parchment. The pain, it was there, but it hadn't felt as painful as Mother sounded when Hagoromo relentlessly attacked her.

Mother was scared of nothing until the split second she recognised a Fūin. Fear, desperation. Betrayal. Emotions marred her divinity. How Hagoromo made her go away was a question I will never have answered. Not at the rate in which I was dying.

_No, no, no, nonononono—_

The eldest brother, running towards us had his arm extended and palm hovering the freshly made hole in my torso. His beautiful purple eyes were clouded with tears that splattered onto my cheeks.

_Please, no._

He begged, even though it was unnecessary.

_Stay with me, otōto. Please don't give up on me—_

There was a hand that grabbed Hagoromo's. It was my older brother. Ah, he was being rational at this point. There was nothing Nī-sama could do, we both knew. We all knew, but Hagoromo refused to believe it.

_Nī-san, we can't save him._

The middle child was rough with his tone because he knew Hagoromo was going to ignore him. He did move aside, giving Hagoromo his space. I sent him a look, to stop him, but Hamura only shook his head. He was still going to try and save me.

_Kā-san did this. There is no way we can save him._

_Hamura!_

The eldest was clearly irritated by the way his purple irises flashed with a growing shadow.

_We are going to save him whether we like it or not! Now, Otōto._

He was talking to me that time, his eyes burying themselves into my own.

_You listen to me._

It was becoming difficult to listen to him. My torso was almost gone at this point.

_This is suicide, but I am begging you to do as I say._

Hagoromo-nī-sama was not wrong. It was suicide. I felt the intricate seals dance along his skin, wrapping themselves around my limbs and crumbling chest. My older brother tried his best to not break his strong façade when he recognised the patterns that started to sink into my flesh. When it started to burn, something I knew wasn't supposed to happen, I noticed Nī-san was stopping the Fūin.

I saw him biting that lip with doubt, opening his mouth to stop the eldest.

_Nī—_

_No, Hamura, we are doing this. We are going to save him, and I do not care if we have to do this to him. Kā-san will not be able to be immortal as long as he stays alive._

He was talking to me again at that time; kami, it was getting harder to breathe.

_I will be sending you into another dimension, Otōto—fix it. I know you can. I place all my trust in you. Do not let Kā-san rise as we did._

Only then did the seals start to cool—freeze. It hurt more than the crumbling of my flesh; tears laced my lashes, my body fighting against the pain that screamed far more than the attack Mother laid on me. My body was violent against my brother's warm hands, refusing the joining of markings. Hagoromo, hands no longer hovering but pressed against my skin, shook fiercely as he tried to stop me.

They all knew that time travel was a stupid idea.

But it was a theory.

Hagoromo knew he would have to sacrifice his own brother in order for him to travel. He never imagined that it would be me who would have such a job, but that was how his reality worked. He just hoped he would jump into the correct reality. The only mistake he made was sending his little brother to fix it all by himself.

_I'm counting on you to fix all of this._

He had jumped into multiple realities.

Most were on the verge of collapsing, and some did not have the threat the youngest child was pursuing. It was tiring. Having to die in order to be transported into another reality, another time frame… was tiring. He attempted changing the Fūin but it backfired, rendering him incapable to use the full extent of his power each time he visited a new time and place.

There weren't many realities he found important but there had been some. There were some where he found meaning to try again and again, even though it was reckless and pretty much lame at some point. One could say, those realities were the perfect push.

Thus, there had been one reality that he held close to his heart.

There was a man who succumbed to his enemy's rage. Out of a whim, he protected the man. But the Fūin was relentless. He couldn't fight that enemy to the best of his abilities, and his life acted as payment. The enemy's blow struck his chest with a deafening boom, throwing him off his feet and sent him flying. His whole body convulsed at the shock, and he could only watch the man he was protecting, fighting the enemy with pure brute strength and speed.

As he remained unmoving on the ground, he did contemplate jumping into another time frame. He contemplated leaving the man to fight the enemy alone. But he did not. Instead he waited, and now laid dying in the arms of that man. This other man had silver hair like he did. He had the same ebony eyes like he, and they shone with despair.

The time traveller could feel his arms shake as he held the dying man, sobbing as he said over, and over again, how stupid he was to get in the middle of their fight.

The man, who laid dying, chuckled; it was a broken sound, but it was amused. His skin paled and his skin was cold. His ebony eyes stared at the pair hovered over him.

**You won the fight anyway.**

He spoke first, letting the blood loss wash over him like a wave.

_Because you distracted him very well._

The other seemed to have taken his words as a joke when the corner of his lips lifted.

_You'll survive._

**But not in this reality.**

Said he, his eyes losing their light as each second passed. The man who remained hovered over him tightened his hold; his hands fisted in his clothes as he clung desperately onto the life the dying man could not have.

**Not in this reality.**

The man hesitated, though he smiled. The man knew what was to come. This is what the time traveller had to deal with, over and over. Saying goodbye to the people he cared for. He would last in those realities, at least, months at a time. If he was lucky, he would spend a year or two. It was for the sake of…

No, he found a new reason to keep jumping. He could not let the next reality suffer a fate he could have avoided. And so, that man who had that time traveller tucked in his arms, simply smiled and said:

_Go._

And at that moment they both realised that reality was not his reality to fix. The dying man took it to heart, and smiled; it was small, soft, and it held so much warmth. The dying man was going to see it in his dreams for many, many years.

**You know what to do, Sakumo.**

He disappeared into the light with that smile to match the other's.

In his next reality, he found his home. It was this reality where the time traveller finally stayed for more than a year, or two, or even three. In that reality, he managed to survive until he was at the pristine age of 31.

In his next reality, there was a little boy who almost died during childbirth. But, as if it was a miracle, the boy survived its life-threatening state. It was because he always had to survive.

In his next reality, he had a mother. She was fair and known for her beauty as well as her blood. She had such elegant, ebony hair, and just like it, her eyes were onyx.

Her name was Reina.

She was known as the _Deserter_. Leaving her clan for her own benefit. It had taken her some time to realised she was the reason for own bitter world, rendering herself lonesome. It had taken some time, but she came across another clan. This clan was known for their white chakra. Their chakra was warm and bright, unlike her own. She came across this clan while she was on an S-rank mission and her partner was the clan's best member. She came across the man who was famous for his white tanto. She came across the man who was stronger than the _Densetsu no Sannin_. She came across the man who had silver hair.

A year passed and they fell in love.

Another year passed, and they were engaged.

Another half a year went on, and they were married.

In the next half year, they had a child.

This child was small and dainty. Like a little doll. Oh, she loved him. He had his Father's silver hair, and he had her ebony eyes. He had his father's, but his features matched his Mother's. With each passing month, did she notice her energy dwindle. Her chakra was fading. She warned her husband, and her husband prepared for the worst. But their son was incapable of readying himself as he was just a babe.

Their beautiful son. He would've grown up without knowing who she was.

Her son was not to know that she was an Uchiha. No one was to know she was an Uchiha.

Only her husband knew who she really was. But when it was time—

_Reina._

Her husband grabbed her hand. She held her like she was Fine China, and that she was. She still had her beautiful features, looking as young as 23. But as her chakra seeped from her grasp… she could no longer keep her eyes open.

_Can you hear me?_

_Loud and clear, sweetheart._

Her reply was soft, just like her words as she started tittering ever so quietly; she gave her husband's hand a squeeze, just to let him know that she was still there.

_Where is my little boy?_

Her son was small and dainty. Like a little doll. She loved him. Her vision, clouded with the abundance of tears as he held onto her fingers, resting his cheek on her breast. His grasp was tight for his size. And his smile… was so very bright, like a star. No words were exchanged… but she felt her husband leave her side; he knew she had to talk to her son alone. And alone, they were. Her baby rested against her chest, huddled close.

Her heart was shaking. It was starting to hurt.

Not from the loss of power, but from her recognition that she would lose time with her child.

_I must leave you now, my little man._

She held him so close, she was sure he would break under her grip. But he was stronger than he seemed. Her son was half Uchiha. And the other half was Hatake.

Oh, how much she would miss him. Would miss his hold, his touch, his voice… his love. She held her son so close, she brought herself to a sob. Her face, buried into the fluff of his hair. Her heart shook at the thought of losing the time with her son, losing the time with her husband.

She did not want to go, but her health had been deteriorating at a steady decline.

_You're so tiny. My precious little boy. But you are strong, so very strong. Just like your Father. And wise, like me—hopefully._

Oh, how small he was.

His Mother was afraid that her weakened strength would have dropped the boy.

_Little man, don't become like your Father. He has the knack of being a hard-worker, and I have told him so many times that he's too old to carry on working at the pace he is._

She laughed, and it was a beautiful melody as he let her son play with her fingers. He was ogling at her as she spoke. She was a beautiful woman. She was her husband's Queen. Uchiha Reina was known as The Lady in their village. Like Tsunade, fierce and known to have a soft side, had been her, too.

That soft side only did appear when she was around her colleagues, husband, and son.

Mostly around the husband. She loved him so much.

So very much that she would sacrifice her entire being to keep them safe. They were the pair. He was a Jōnin, and she was an ANBU captain. Her mask, to embody the husband's love for hounds, was a wolf. With no competition, she became the ANBU's Alpha. Passion did they carry in their work, and they immediately became popular.

Just like she, he was determined to keep their village under protection. She knew… she very well knew he would have done anything to keep their home safe. For her, for their son. There was nothing her husband wouldn't do. Family meant so much to him, he did not give a damn about himself.

And they also knew because of who he was, and who she was… they could not run away. They lived in difficulty but they were on the verge of war, or even, they were in a war against their neighbouring countries.

Yes, they should have run alas, there was no safe haven for the three of them. Nowhere had been safe. Not even their own blood made it safe. The Mother knew, as well as the Father. They knew who they were despite having been the familial mistake. They were still the embodiment of danger.

_Because of your blood, your life will not be easy. There will be a time you will face death, there will be a time where you need to sacrifice yourself… but that is okay because I know you will survive—you are my son, after all._

A Mother and her son.

She kept him in her arms until she drew her last breath.

_Do not tell him who he is, sweetheart. He must not know. I cannot have him know._

The husband was angry—it was a difficult task, to keep secrets from their son.

_You're expecting me to lie to him?_

The wife was irritated—she knew it was difficult, but her husband just had to try.

_I'm expecting you to protect him._

The child's cries were loud when the baby heard his Mother's last few heartbeats. Her heartbeats were deafening, thunderous as they beat against the chest the baby had his ear pressed against.

_Reina—_

_Please. I beg of you—keep him safe._

_I will protect him, do not worry_.

Despite the trouble she had caused, she was grateful to have him as her husband.

_I love you so, so much. I am sorry I cannot stay._

_And I am sorry for letting you go too soon._

Despite the trouble he had caused, he was grateful to have her as his wife.

_You must survive._

And survive did the husband do.

He survived years after her passing. He survived long enough to hear his child's cries when he returned home. It took him a week, but the Father was home. He had just returned from a mission, that one weighing more than the previous. With a desperate need for his son's warmth, the man gathered his son in his arms, scooping a small child off from the floor and giving him a chaste peck on his cheek.

_Sorry for being late, Jiraiya. The Sandaime wanted to speak to me._

The Father had been deathly tired when he walked into the kitchen where a much taller male had been sitting. His eyes carried amusement, but they were missing their brightness as he leaned against the doorframe. Such heaviness had been in his bones. The silver-haired man could only wince. He knew Jiraiya was chasing a man lost to them, clinging onto non-existent hope. When his child clung onto his bloodied body, unbothered by the smell of iron that his Father was coated with, the Sannin in their abode chuckled.

_I didn't know this little one could be so loud._

Jiraiya was at least smiling when he spoke, placing his glass of sake onto the table before resting against the back of the chair. He eyed the child in the other's hold, mostly because of how quiet the child became in mere seconds.

Kami, he was so loud when he cried.

_Don't worry about it. He was rather quiet until you decided to ruin my fun of silence._

There was a pause then, and the two shared a look. The son was very well rested against the Father's chest, his ear pressed against the space where his heart dwelled. It was a habit the child took on after his Mother passed away; the soothing sound of one's beating heart brought the child to sleep countless times, even during the worst of storms.

_You know he has to know who he is, Sakumo._

Other than silence, there was a tension lingering in the air as the nin hugged his son so much closer than he'd ever held him. Protection washed over his face, worry came like a wave, and a certain unreadable darkness.

_I will carry this secret to my grave, Jiraiya._

There was a heavy pause; this pause was very much daunting. Hairs on the back of one's nape stood as he shared eye contact with the other male. It had been years since he had seen that look on Sakumo's face, and it brought a certain panic to his system. It mimicked killer intent even though there wasn't any, to begin with: that was how menacing Sakumo was.

_I cannot let him or any other living being know what or who he is—all they have to know is that he is my son. They do not need to know who his Mother was. They do not need to know that he is not of our dimension._

The topic did not carry on. Nor did the men speak to one another until the Father passed away. It was a heavy price both the Sannin and the son had to pay in order to survive. Possibly even more for the boy as he grew up during a dangerous war.

It was as if life was eating away at him, punishing him for breaking the ways of time, of reality.

_You must understand why—_

The boy was six years old then when the Father died, and that son grew up to be a man whom no wind could shake. He carried the same menacing façade his Father was known for, and it was made worse with the intelligence both his parents had combined. It was only up to a certain Uchiha to break his ways, but that Uchiha did not appear useful until the age of thirteen.

_Please, you have to listen—_

He continued to live without a Mother. Without a Father. A friend. A teacher. His life was shadowed by a deep hatred that could match fire in the wind. It was his last reality that he had to live through, and he would make it to the end. He had to make it to the very end.

Because you see, he and I.

We were the same.

**Please! This is not your fight!**

The void flared white.

_You were never meant to be, Kakashi! There was not supposed to be another child!_

Kaguya. In all her bloody glory did she stand, looking like death itself. Chakra wrapped around her frame to protect her, and to attack her assailant upon her every command. But she no longer looked like she could destroy a world; she looked as if she could disappear at a mere touch.

Was their counter-attack finally paying off? Was Kakashi's work finally doing something? Kurama only hoped so because, in her death-looking state, she matched the look Kakashi had when he needed for murder. She was seething, as she faced the beast. Her anger, her pride… it all melded into one, and it was pure dread—she bled pure dread.

_You were a child I did not want!_

She said that with no remorse, no hesitant pause. It was the hatred Kakashi embodied the entire time. He carried that lust to despise, they were just too blind to even notice it had been her the entire time. She was cunning and ruthless. Kakashi inherited that, somehow, as Kurama took his time to notice the similarity between Kaguya and her son. Because that son was standing right in front of him.

_You were a child I thought I killed but you lived!_

**I am of your flesh and blood, Kā-sama!**

_Yes, you are of my blood and flesh. But I wanted you dead!_

That man who stood in front of Kurama, the youngest son in the family had not inherit anything special except that silver hair, and her celestial beauty.

Or so did they think.

He inherited something Kaguya did not have. He was not just a mere doppelgänger; he was the instrument that could kill her. If he had ceased to exist, Kaguya would've been impossible to kill, to seal. Hagoromo knew, Hamura knew. That was the reason for him to live all those years, but of course, Kaguya did not like the idea of something that could easily oppose her, and kill her. Anything to have possibly had her killed or stop her for acquiring what she wanted… she would stop at nothing to get what she wanted.

_Hagoromo was _pathetic_ to even think about _killing_ me. He designed a time-reality Fūin in hopes to rid _me_ in all dimensions._

**Hagoromo? Pathetic? You are the one who is pathetic, Kā-sama. How dare you think you could live forever?!**

_Oh, speak for yourself, my dear boy. _You_ are pathetic to not see how much of a demon your brother, Hagoromo, is! I do not think he told you that the only way to jump is to sacrifice yourself to the Fūin._

T'was true. The old man did not tell either beast or the time traveller. But that had been the catch. Every time the individual time jumped, they had to sacrifice a piece of themselves to the seal. The Fūin was very picky, choosing only what was so important. Senses, emotions… they were not enough.

It was suicide, Hagoromo had said.

_If I cannot be the one to end you myself, then I will gladly let that seal do its job!_

Time travel. It was… impossible.

It was suicide, Hagoromo had said, but Kakashi travelled anyway.

On that battlefield, Naruto hadn't sent Kakashi into that new reality—that was a lie. The moment the blonde was dying, he was told by the old man himself that Kakashi was of his blood.

He was an Ōtsutsuki.

In order to keep him safe, he had to send the silver-haired nin into another reality. A reality he could live and act as a buffer between life and death. And because of the previous jump, Kakashi was also an Uchiha. That reality gave him the ability to possess and wield a Sharingan. Then, this present reality gave him the enemy status and the eyes he needed.

So, was the Sharingan he required really Madara's?

How about Obito's Sharingan? Was it really his?

Dear Kami.

Kurama was getting more and more confused the more he stood idle. Clearly,he had no choice but to deal with that problem after he dealt with Kaguya. That woman was a menace, but Kurama was going to get rid of her whether they all liked it or not. He knew that he could only keep her at bay. Why did he keep thinking he could easily defeat her in a dream sequence?

Oh, because she looked like she could've been erased by a mere touch.

Don't judge a book by its cover. Kaguya was still god-like.

**_I will not let you touch my Jinchūriki, you old hag. He is _****mine_ to _protect_!_**

You see, it was not a fight Kurama could win. Only Kakashi had the ability to best his Mother—

Well, that would've happened if they weren't moved from white to forest.

It wasn't exactly a forest, but it was more of a clearing with grass freshly cut. No trees save for one stump… and the man sitting atop the blunt trunk. He was old, evident by how wrinkles lined his forehead, and were made prominent when he smiled. Of course, Kakashi was the first to advance, only slowing down when Kurama had his hand latched onto the silver-haired male's wrist.

**It's okay, Kurama. It's only Nī-sama.**

What in the world—?

The silver-haired man was not whom Kurama thought would ever appear in such a time frame. But Kakashi was right. It was Hagoromo. The eldest was on the tree stump and then approached Hamura, finally appearing behind the older brother. The fox let Kakashi advance towards them but refused to let his lover (that word was still alien to him) close.

That was when Kurama saw a cheeky smile on Hagoromo's face.

Even Hamura was amused.

_I do not remember you being hesitant, Kurama._

**Old man, you better have a good reason to be here or I will bite your head off.**

_That tongue needs to be cut if you keep talking like that._

Out of the three silver-haired nin, he did not miss Hamura.

**Why did you not tell me that Kakashi is of your blood?**

Clearly the fox took the question right of Kakashi's mouth. The silver-haired man pulled a tail causing Kurama to yelp loudly.

_Dear Kurama—_

**Don't you dare laugh, old man.**

_—believe me when I say I was not planning to. But, out of all the Bijū, you did not listen to me when I told everyone that Kakashi is an Ōtsutsuki. _

**You fool! I had a feeling Nī-sama told you!**

Hamura visibly winced when the slap to the back of Kurama's head reverberated with a vengeance. Yet the middle child nor the oldest stopped the Bijū and Jinchūriki from fighting like children. It was during their 'fight', Hagoromo started the middle child. The one who tried to stop him several realities ago. Ah, he definitely still held a grudge. Hamura meant no harm, truly. He just did not trust the idea of dimension jumping and believed Kakashi was lost to them.

Then, from the ground (and pinned underneath Kakashi), Kurama wheezed.

**_Which brings me to my next few questions._**

Hagoromo eyed his youngest brother that time. Kakashi signalled something with his eyes—a long blink and he added a tilt of his head. The eldest brother let a long breath leave his chest and said:

_Hamura. Do your best to distract Mother. Get rid of her if you can._

_Understood._

Hamura was gone in an instant, and Hagoromo remained. Kurama let Kakashi go, sitting on the grass while he crossed his arms (Kurama hadn't realised he shifted to his human form until Kakashi physically fought him) over his chest. He gave Hagoromo a stare (read: a glare), urging the man to speak.

_I cannot start without one of the many questions, Kurama._

**_Just start from the very beginning, old man._**

And that he did.

Hagoromo explained from start to finish.

As he explained, Kakashi started to shake. Only when a gentle tail wrapped around his shoulders did he stop.

Kaguya's pregnancy with Kakashi as her child resulted from an assault. She could've gotten rid of that child, but she did not. There was a time where she loved her youngest. There was a time where she loved Kakashi more than she loved Hamura and Hagoromo. There was a time where she would bring Hell upon Earth for her child.

As any Mother would, she loved that child. From the moon and back.

But once Kakashi hit a certain age… she changed.

The Mother they knew changed in a heartbeat. It happened the day Kakashi went hunting with their Mother. This did not happen on a regular basis but it Hagoromo and Hamura were busy attending to their village and could not attend to their little brother. She expected a normal hunt, but some unsuspecting humans attacked the mother-and-son pair.

Kaguya decided for a counter-attack, however, she decided a second too late: Kakashi was injured, and his left eye was sacrificed. Just before she could even go for her vengeance or even think about her vengeance, her power vanished as quickly as she used them.

If it weren't for her sheer terror, the humans would have fought back.

After that day, she avoided her youngest child.

After that day, she began to change.

Hagoromo was many years older than Kakashi was, and could easily tell what was wrong. The eldest was not the son to inherit it, nor was Hamura—no, they inherited humanity from their Father, and they inherited gifts from their Mother. The man who assaulted Kaguya was not of Earth nor was he from the Ōtsutsuki clan.

He was from somewhere else and he had the means to render the Ōtsutsuki clan useless.

The man had the power of Nullification, and Kakashi inherited that power.

The eldest had no clue where it came from, but he suspected either Kakashi's chakra or his eye.

Yes, his eye. You see, the three boys knew the youngest could not inherit anything special. It was predictable as Hagoromo and Hamura inherited each half of their Mother. So, they never expected Kakashi to acquire any sort of Dōjutsu.

Never doubt a son of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.

Kakashi did gain the Sharingan in a single eye, no less. It replaced the damaged eye as if nothing happened that day. So, that answered Kurama's earlier question. Kakashi's left eye was neither Obito's nor Madara's. It was his own. The only question left was Kakashi's Mangekyō. That, Hagoromo could not answer.

But he could answer where the source of Kakashi's capabilities came from. Because of what happened to their Mother, the older brothers were in charge of training Kakashi. And as predicted, he was a prodigy. Jutsu were learnt in less than a day, chakra levels were controlled in a groundbreaking hour, and an original Jutsu was created by the child and was perfected before a week could end. This then prompted Hagoromo to figure out what the fuck Kakashi could do.

To put it simply, Hagoromo challenged Kakashi to a heated duel.

Their battle was intense, and the eldest nearly lost a limb, but he figured out the source of Kakashi's abilities.

His chakra.

It was definitely rare, and was counted as something mythical and definitely out-worldly. Chakra that could nullify other chakra types was considered over-powered and dangerous. That was why Hagoromo had no choice but to use a Fūin in order to seal a good proportion of Kakashi's power.

_I sealed Kakashi's full power to keep him safe, but due to a rebound, that Fūin is impossible to break. I assure you _that_ was not my original intention. My only intention was for Kakashi to live the life of his counterparts and evolve._

**_So, you mean to say that because of you… my Kakashi, from being a mere Ōtsutsuki is now part Uchiha, part Hatake, has Hashirama cells, and is my Jinchūriki?_**

**I'm starting to think I'm a bit too over-powered for my liking.**

**_Don't get me wrong, but I prefer the new you—_**

_Please do not speak about him in your quarters. He is still my youngest brother._

**Nī-sama!**

Wow, Hagoromo knew how to tease. Kurama couldn't help but snort which earned him a slap to the ear. Hagoromo could only smile. The only person who had made it that far with Kurama was Naruto. But it seemed the Hatake child was able to break the few walls Kurama had left to spare.

_Kurama, Kakashi. I am forever in your debt. But Ōtoto, remember you have jumped into 39 realities. Kā-san was right. The rebound made the Fūin unmerciful, and this is the last dimension before the Fūin seals you completely._

So…

Kakashi turned his head towards Kurama when he felt the tail around his shoulders squeeze. There was an expression on his face he could not recognise. There was a shadow casted over Kurama's eyes. Oh, no—

**_You mean to say that if we fail here… I will lose Kakashi forever?_**

_I'm afraid so, Kurama. No Jutsu is perfect._

The fox was uneasy. In his human form did his heart feel like it could rip through his ribs. He turned to face Kakashi—the man grabbed his face, cupping his cheeks.

**No, don't you dare think about it.**

Too late. Kurama could see it. In his arms did Kurama see Kakashi vanishing like he never existed. In his arms did Kurama see Kakashi turn to glass and crack. In his arms did Kurama feel Kakashi cease to exist. It was so real—too real.

**Kurama. Please. I'm still here. I still exist—**

**_Not if she kills you, Kakashi. I can't— I can't let you fight her. I just… we just—_**

_I am sorry, Kurama. But Kakashi must fight her. Now that Kakashi knows who he truly is, his three students would be powerless against her._

The scarlet in Kurama's eyes flashed. Hagoromo faltered, had to drive a breath in. He looked towards Kakashi for assistance, but the silver-haired nin could not give him any. Anger was driving the beast.

_Kurama, I know how much Kakashi means to you but—_

**_Don't you dare, Ōtsutsuki. If he fights Kaguya, then so be it. But I will not let him do it alone. I will _****never_ let Kakashi fight her alone, I promise you that._**

And that was the Bijū Hagoromo knew.

Said Ōtsutsuki's lips lifted to form a smile, eyes locked onto his baby brother. Kakashi lifted his eyes, as if he could feel Hagoromo's chakra presence shift.

_That is what I wanted to hear from my Kyūbi. Kakashi, you are to fight Kā-san. If you need anything, you will know how to call us._

A pause, and Hagoromo's ear twitched.

_Hamura has managed to send Kā-san away. You best leave this place while you she is not here._

Kurama, hurriedly snaked his arms around Kakashi, his chakra so warm against the part-Uchiha. Sweet nothings slipped past his lips, no words were exchanged when the pair became translucent. Kakashi did not dare meet Hagoromo's eyes—he'd failed him consecutively, how was the god of Shinobi still believing in his stupid ass?

By the time Kakashi was going to speak, reality warped and settled. The forest clearing, gone, but Kakashi's designated room in the cave, returned. The silver-haired ninja trembled whilst his chakra steadily returned, allowing Kurama to turn him around and assess for any damage.

There was nothing, but that did not mean Kakashi was entirely safe.

Kurama met his eyes. His eyes of crimson meeting those of starlight. Ah, so that was how he would know if Kaguya got her hands on his Jinchūriki: his eyes. Usually, Kakashi's eyes were a stormy grey, so beautiful to look at but grew colder at each passing minute. Now that her presence was gone, his eyes were very much ebony.

Ebony that were then coated with a sudden abundance of tears. How long was Kakashi holding it in? Kurama should have expected it but truly, he was surprised to see the shaking of Kakashi's shoulders and the trembling of his lips. "'**Kashi**." The Bijū sighed, bringing said male into a hug so tight, Kakashi was sure he would die in the warmth. "**It'll be okay. As long as I still exist by your side, I'm going to let that bitch bother you or your dreams again**."

That bitch was his mother but Kakashi thought it was better to remain quiet. Being in Kurama's hold, he'd never felt so safe—no, he had felt safer.

It was Naruto's arms around him when he laid dying. It were Naruto's eyes watching him as Kakashi's drew his last few breaths. As if that memory wasn't real, Naruto's image shifted and cracked. In his presence, Kurama. Crimson eyes, cladded in nothing but anguish and despair. Arms bare but coated with burns.

What was that image?

"**Kakashi**?"

_Kurama. You must let me go._

"**Hey, kit. Are you alright**?"

_I am, truly, not made for this saving-the-world get-up. Why did I think I stood a chance against my own mother?_

Seriously? Just when he got out of a mess, Kakashi was having a vision? What else was Hagoromo not telling him? What else was Kakashi going to have to figure out on his own?

Kurama was hovering above him, his hand pressed against Kakashi's abdomen. The seal that kept Kurama inside must've faded or was on the verge of fading. This was hurting more than when Kakashi was dying in Naruto's arms, what he felt was not his flesh tearing apart but his very soul. Piece by piece, his soul was being fed to the Fūin. They must've failed if Kakashi was literally disappearing.

"**Uzumaki**!"

That caught Kakashi. From wide, clouded eyes to those filled with confusion, they looked towards Kurama. "What did you just call me?" That was one way to save the Hatake from a nasty vision of what Kakashi had to call his future. When will Death leave him alone for one second?

Kurama let loose an amused purr. Thank goodness Kurama was not connected to him via the mindscape, that was not something Kakashi wanted Kurama to watch. "**Oh, the brat didn't tell you? Apparently, you got real drunk one night and accepted equally-drunk-Naruto's proposal. The Senju woman wedded you both the same night.**"

"And you only tell me this now?" How Kakashi was letting this conversation happen, he had no clue.

"**Well, you weren't responding so I had to give it a try**."

When the hell did that happen? Kakashi had never felt so… ill. More ill with the fact he saw himself fade into nothing. "Kurama," Kkashi breathed, "we just narrowly missed getting killed by Kā-sama—shush, I can call her whatever I want—"

"**I wasn't going to say anything**—"

"Got a somewhat full-depth analysis of my ability to jump through time and space from Nī-sama," and now I'd like to believe Hagoromo did not tell me everything I needed to know before you took out us of that place, "and I think I just had a glimpse into a future I don't want to face… only for you to call me 'Uzumaki' and tell me that I'm actually wedded to Naruto?"

"**You got a glimpse into a future**?"

"That's all you got from my little rant?!"

"**Don't get me wrong but I listen to everything you say, no matter how stupid you may sound. But that was the only thing that I'm deeming too important to miss**." Kurama confessed nonchalantly, rolling his eyes. When Kurama did not say anything, his silence urged Kakashi to speak.

"I don't know what I saw, okay? At first I was thinking of Naruto—"

A snort.

"Then I saw you."

A hum of chakra.

"I was dying. No, scratch that, I was fading. You were fading, too. I believe it's because when a Jinchūriki dies, the Bijū is no longer in a container and ultimately disperses like sand in the wind." The glint in Kurama's eyes told Kakashi he was right. "It… was hurting me, not in an emotional manner but my head is bursting."

Kakashi was very unsure if he should've included that part because Kurama looked terrifying. Like his killer intent returned and was going to kill Kakashi for being an idiot. The Hatake would prefer to go like that rather than at the hands of his mother or Zetsu.

But to Kakashi's surprise, Kurama didn't say anything. Or rather, to his surprise, the Bijū got up, had himself dressed in the most basic clothing apparatus, and left. Was Kakashi supposed to go after him? His legs answered that question when he rushed towards the door and started to follow his Bijū.

Now, Kurama wasn't hiding his chakra, which was a good sign. The bad sign was Kurama was flitting through the forest. Kakashi was no Raikage nor was he Minato, so catching up took a toll on his legs. He had to thank a previous jump for backfiring and making the seal so picky and forbidding him from using the full expense of his chakra. Kakashi was becoming ridiculously numb just before the gates to—

Huh.

Why did Kurama go there? Why did Kurama go back to _Konoha_?

_We just came back from a near death experience and you decide to visit the village without some sort of proper plan?_ Kakashi had never felt so butt-hurt by a decision so rash, it could have burnt his skin. Pins and needles stopped Kakashi from approaching the gates, watching the group of Jōnin huddle around a still humanised Kurama, wondering where the fuck he came from, and because of his red hair, Kurama just had to catch Kushina's attention. Oh, Minato was there, too. Oh, my fucking— KAMI.

The Hatake an idiot for leaving his disguise behind—and that was something Kakashi did not want to use chakra for. He had nothing but a certain henge to use. However, it was not meant for Konoha. It was never meant for Konoha.

_Fuck_.

Whatever Kushina was saying to his beast, Kurama was about to tear her limbs from her body.

Kakashi fumbled with his hand-signs, a puff of smoke surrounding him. When it cleared, he jumped out of the line of trees—

"_Anata_!"

Jōnin, Kushina and Minato, and Kurama alike turned around towards the direction of Kakashi's voice. In his place did not stand a man with silver hair but a woman with hair as dark as the night sky. The standard black ninja outfit changed to something of more value, a simple sakura-patterned Kimono—styled to have a few rips along the hem of the outfit and dried mud circling around her—him—as if she—he—had been travelling on foot for days.

"What are you doing to my husband?" Kakashi pressed, his voice no longer masculine and heavy but feminine and light. He walked up to the group of ninjas, stepping in between Bijū and Uzumaki.

**_Kakashi, what are you doing here?_**

**What does it look like, Kurama? I'm saving your scrawny hind side. Are you trying to get us physically killed? Was the close call with Kā-san not enough for you?**

"I'm really sorry," Kushina yelped, jumping back as if the look on Kakashi's face reeked murder. "I did not mean to cause any harm to your husband, I just… he… you see, I believe I am among the last few remaining of my clan, I did not expect to see a man with…"

Red hair.

Kakashi turned around and saw that Kurama's eyes were not red with slits but grey. Definitely chakra-infused to the truth. "Well, whatever you said to him," Kakashi added, turning back to look at Kushina with nothing but delight in his ebony eyes. "Has made him want to break something apart."

It was Minato who continued. "I apologise for that, Kushina was really just asking him where he's been all this while."

"I thought he was family, _dattebane_…"

"**I am family**," said Kurama, peeking from behind Kakashi's female form.

**Kurama—**

**_Trust me, Kakashi. I need answers and this is how I'm going to get them._**

**But your chakra—**

**_I've stored a massive proportion, and I managed to change my signature in accordance to the woman's. Don't worry. You, on the other hand, I am worried about. I doubt that henge was unplanned._**

**It was not. I never thought I would use it here.**

**_They will question this. We don't know how _****she_ is related to them here._**

**I'm prepared. I just need you to hide the presence of Hatake and Ōtsutsuki for me. **

Kurama had his hand on Kakashi's hip, his touch doing as what he was told to do. Wait. What about the Uchiha side? Surely Kakashi should mask his chakra almost entirely? As the thought whizzed in his head, the fox-now-human cracked a grin, eyes falling close to enact a look of true happiness. "**I wanted to see for myself, if I truly had a blond nephew**."

This had to be done on a whim, Kakashi thought, taking a breath as Kurama's hand remained on his hip. Or he had been planning this a while and did not bother to tell me. It had to be planned because the choice of words brought a tear to Kushina's eyes, and made the red-haired woman grabbed Kakashi's thin wrist and dragged him through the gates. "Um…" Kakashi attempted but—

"Naruto would be so happy to know a relative has finally come to visit." Kushina was truly ignoring the way Kakashi was trying to escape her hold. "He always asks me of my family, but I don't know how to answer them because I actually don't know where the rest of the Uzumaki had gone to—however! I think you can help answer that since it seems like the both of you have been travelling a lot!"

Kushina… really did talk a lot.

Man-turned-woman looked towards Minato, who only apologetically smiled. Kushina did not have many friends since she was the previous Jinchūriki and was often bullied for her red hair. Only in Minato and his students did she find solace and love. It was unfortunate Kakashi was not there to be another one who showed care and respect for her.

They managed to get themselves into the Hokage's office without having to go through T&I. Their chakra must've been adequate enough for the top ninjas in Konoha to believe they were not a threat. Well, that was what Kakashi would've like if it weren't for the meddling Uchiha. Of course, word spread fast about a man with red hair like Kushina, and a woman with black hair like the Uchiha.

When the Bijū and Jichūriki pair finally got out of the Hokage building, there stood Sasuke and Obito. Kakashi mentally asked Kurama to find Shisui and Itachi—their chakra was not registered by the Bijū.

Kakashi almost forgot he was not Sukea that time.

"_Oba-chan_, surely this must be some trick."

**_You said you were prepared?_**

**Try being me for once and having to use my mother's appearance as a henge, Kurama!**

**_This is how Reina looked like?!_**

**I thought you knew this was her—I clearly have her face, so this was the fastest disguise I've got!**

**_And now you're pretending to be her and you're also pretending to be my _****wife_?!_**

**Oh… right, I didn't think this through.**

**_No, no you did not!_**

"I am no Genjutsu, Obito. But it has been a _long_ time." Kakashi chuckled, squeezing Kurama like he was asking for some support. Or for the fox to shut up because his mind-scape voice was busting his eardrums. "I take it you have been well?"

Instead of answering, Obito turned to face Sasuke and grasped the boy's shoulders. "Sasuke, make sure you respect this woman." When the boy cocked a brow, Obito sighed. Of course, the boy was curious. He hadn't seen her ever since she was casted away by her own— "Lady Reina is your aunt, Sasuke. Your father's little sister. The one whom we were never supposed to speak about."

**_So… you're telling me…_**

**I'm actually Sasuke's cousin but removed from their history because Kā-chan wanted to be with To-chan? Is this the same for the last reality?**

**_Most likely. This is the closest dimension we have to the last one. Well, now you're his aunt… and my wife._**

**Why is that still so hard to get through your thick skull?**

**_You were wedded to Naruto, and you're a male._**

Sasuke still hadn't grown much from the last time he had seen them last, Kakashi noticed as he blatantly ignored Kurama's last remark. That was about… a month ago? Two months ago? Time was fickle and unnecessary—Kakashi really did not remember how long it had been, the nightmares truly plagued him. The man-turned-woman let Kurama go, moving to be there, in front of the Uchiha pair.

"You've grown well, Sasuke-kun. I'm sorry I wasn't there." T'was a genuine apology mirrored in Kakashi's eyes when he shared eye contact with the much older Uchiha member. Kakashi pursed his lips, fingers fumbling at the hem of his sleeves. His lungs were heavy as was his heart. "Where is my family, Obito? Where are my husband and boy?"

Kurama could not tell if Kakashi was truly acting. The way his body tensed, the way his voice and chakra fluctuated like he became taut. When Obito shook his head and said nothing, Kurama wondered how Kakashi effortless appeared to have been punched in the gut, staggering enough so that Kurama knew to catch the male-turned-female. Kakashi's grip was found on Kurama's black standard ninja shirt, tightening. Kakashi appeared as if he had hoped to find what Reina would've been looking for if she were alive.

As if Kakashi's act was a show, civilians started to gather. Kurama hoisted Kakashi in his arms. With his henge, Kakashi really did feel more feminine. "I'm sorry, Oba-chan. I couldn't save them."

"**It's alright, kid**," Kurama said in Kakashi's stead, beating the silver-haired nin to speaking as if he had truly been in shock of the news, the very same news they had heard many times before. "**Reina's just in shock. It has been a while since she's come home**."

"Do you… need a place to stay?" Sasuke attempted to sound like he cared for someone he just met. Poor bastard. He had no clue on how to act in front of a woman who had been wiped from their history books and was claimed dead.

Kakashi tightened his lipstick-stained lips and shook his head. "I think I want to return to the house."

Smart move. As they had questions that needed to be answered, they could find them in the Hatake abode. Seems like Kakashi unplanned return as his mother did bring them some fortune. Yet the timing was truly ridiculous—Kurama was sure to treat it as a holiday from almost being killed by that Ōtsutsuki fiend.

Then, just like that, the night passed. Most of the evening did the two spend on cleaning the house—it was not a house; it was very well a mansion. How much did Sakumo even earn when he was alive?—and placing protective wards where it was needed. Unfortunately, Kakashi was unable to dispel the henge, knowing it was dangerous to falter even for one second. They were still being watched by a handful of ANBU, possibly on the order of the Hokage and Obito.

On the veranda did Kakashi end up sitting after taking a long-needed shower and adorned with a fresh orange Komon. In his hand was a cup of freshly brewed tea, still steaming. On his lap, an old Furisode with her clan's symbol embroidered into its back. His mother's. Kurama had found it in an old box, tucked away under Kakashi's old bed. By his side, his mother's belongings. Kunai, a sword, and old scrolls of secret and common practice. Reina's summon was a tiger, and he met the summon an hour ago. Obviously, the tiger was vicious, thinking the person he saw was a fragment of his memory but after careful conversation, the tiger figured it was Reina's cub.

On the veranda did Kakashi end up thinking, taking a sip of his tea. Lipstick stained the cup, a blood red in utter contrast to the porcelain white. He sighed as his eyebrows furrowed. Why did he find this easier than being Sukea? This should have been more difficult, having his mother's face and voice but not her memories. Everything he learnt as they cleaned the house was from the countless scrolls his _Kage Bunshin_ found while they were in the Hokage's office. How he managed to get information without any problems was not to be thought about. He should be grateful he had information, enough so that he didn't have to lie.

On the veranda did Kurama find his lover. As Kurama stepped out from the main room, he had a view of Kakashi from behind. The female form looked _ethereal_. Long, flowing hair that look smooth to the touch. His frame, so delicate but worn from spartan-like mission. Kakashi's mother, it appeared, could have been born from pure starlight. "**Reina**," called Kurama, the woman's name so foreign as it slipped past his lips. Kakashi's ears twitched and he looked over his shoulder. "**I finally found things that could tell me more of you than you have shared**."

"I never took you to be that sort of man, _Genkei_," Kakashi chuckled, Kurama's newfound name also was foreign for his tongue. He watched as Kurama settled beside him, reaching out to grasp his hand. "What did you find out about me?"

Kurama smiled at him, eyes shining. "**You were made ANBU captain at quite a young age. It is no surprise to me; you are highly talented and skilled**." Safe to say both Kakashi and Reina had the same background. That would be easy to talk about if ever asked. The only difficult topic would be her untimely death. As in the last dimension, she died during childbirth. How did she die in this world? Kakashi was yet to find any evidence but he knew she died five years after he was born.

Like his father.

"I wonder if Kakashi ever kept…" Kakashi pushed himself into a stand, almost tripping over the Komon if it weren't for Kurama's fast reflexes. This was something he needed to figure out without the help of Kurama… just in case he learnt something only he should know. He left Kurama to clean up the mess on their veranda, quickly making his way to his room.

The thick layer of dust was gone, and traces of a cleaning agent hung in the air. It was of no blow to learn the several people who have entered and cleaned the house. Even in the darkness, there still would be the presence of hope. In the previous world, Kakashi would hide certain things from his father like scrolls and parchment, weapons to a certain degree. All under a floorboard in the corner to the left of the door. Kakashi tested the floor with the heel of his foot.

_Creak_.

Kakashi lifted the panel. A box. But not filled with any of the listed items. T'was only a brown envelope. Unravelling the thread that closed the flap, Kakashi moved from corner to bed and pulled out the thick pile of papers. Mission details. Three piles. One for Sakumo, one for himself… and one for his mother.

_LATEST UPDATE, ONLY DISCLOSABLE TO **HATAKE SAKUMO** UPON SPECIAL REQUEST._

**_Status: _**_Deceased, Seppuku_

**_Full name: _**_Hatake Reina née Uchiha_

**_Affiliation: _**_Konohagakure_

**_Currently Ninja Rank: _**_ANBU Captain_

**_Date of Birth: _**_3rd August_

**_Height: _**_164cm_

**_Weight: _**_55kg_

**_Ninjutsu: _**_4/5_

**_Taijutsu: _**_3/5_

**_Genjutsu: _**_5/5_

**_Intelligence: _**_4/5_

**_Force: _**_4/5_

**_Speed: _**_3/5_

**_Stamina: _**_3/5_

**_Seal Knowledge: _**_2/5_

**_Cooperation: _**_4/5_

**_Known completed assignments:_**

**_D-Rank: _**_198_

**_C-Rank: _**_193_

**_B-Rank: _**_284_

**_A-Rank: _**_243_

**_S-Rank: _**_50_

Kakashi's heart sunk. His mother died of… _suicide_? That could not be it. Was that it? The child flipped through the pages. The rest of the pages were his mother's notes, evident by how the paper had been covered with blots. Very vaguely did Kakashi picture his mother sitting alone as she wrote her report, eyes flooding with tears. It was only at the end of the paper did the two-sentence summary yell at him.

_HATAKE'S TEAM OF 13, INCLUDING UCHIHA, AMBUSHED AND POSSESSED BY [**REDACTED**]. SOLE SURVIVOR WAS HATAKE, KILLING REST OF TEAM._

How the world was so _cruel_. It was no wonder the civilians started to circle around them when they left the hokage building. It was no wonder the Jōnin at the grand gates were hesitant to approach her. _It was no wonder the Uchiha forbade their family from speaking about her_. She killed an _Uchiha_. Which one?

The knock on the door made Kakashi quiver in arrant terror. Kurama stood by the door, eyebrow raised. "**Are you alright, sweetheart? You lookin' a little… under the weather**."

Kakashi swallowed. Should he tell him? Should he let Kurama know? A part of his didn't want Kurama to know, but the part that bested his decision was to do the opposite. His mouth was dry when he spoke."Kā-chan committed _Seppuku. _She killed an Uchiha as well 11 others." Kakashi watched as Kurama moved to stand by the bed, facing Kakashi with his hands out and ready to grasp Kakashi's henged own. "She was forced to," he continued, stretching towards Kuram's hands and gripping his fingers as Kakashi clenched his jaw. "Why does this keep happening to my family?"

"**Sweetheart**," Kurama got onto his knees, looking up at Kakashi who donned the look of the very same woman. "**Your mother was a strong and beautiful woman. She wanted you to live without shame, she wanted you to live without fear and be known as her son and only her son. ****We… need to know what happened to Sakumo, too. Would you like me to tell you**?"

Kakashi nodded, passing Sakumo's pile of papers to the man who took his place by his feet. As much as what he had just learnt was starting to sting, he had to know what this reality made his father do. He should have done this a lot sooner.

_LATEST UPDATE, ONLY DISCLOSABLE TO **HATAKE REINA** UPON SPECIAL REQUEST._

**_Status: _**_Deceased, KIA_

**_Full name: _**_Hatake Sakumo_

**_Affiliation: _**_Konohagakure_

**_Currently Ninja Rank: _**_Jōnin_

**_Date of Birth: _**_3rd September_

**_Height: _**_181cm_

**_Weight: _**_65.7kg_

**_Ninjutsu: _**_4/5_

**_Taijutsu: _**_4/5_

**_Genjutsu: _**_5/5_

**_Intelligence: _**_4/5_

**_Force: _**_4/5_

**_Speed: _**_5/5_

**_Stamina: _**_4/5_

**_Seal Knowledge: _**_5/5_

**_Cooperation: _**_5/5_

**_Known completed assignments:_**

**_D-Rank: _**_179_

**_C-Rank: _**_181_

**_B-Rank: _**_177_

**_A-Rank: _**_260_

**_S-Rank: _**_43_

_KILLED IN ACTION_ _BY **KONOHAGAKURE CHILD WITH IMPROPER BIJŪ FŪINJUTSU**._

"**Your father was killed by that Nohara**_._" A pause. "**No wonder that girl acted in such manner**." Kurama met Kakashi's eyes. They were not ebony. "**Kakashi**—"

In a flurry, Kakashi strode past Kurama and dropped the envelope onto the floor. Onto the veranda did he return, eyes looking through the line of trees that protected the back of the house. Into the shadows did he shout: "GET ME NAMIKAZE! _NOW_! AND WHILE YOU'RE AT IT, I WANT OBITO HERE AS WELL. _GET OUT_!"

The leaves shook as the ANBU scattered.

Revulsion was a look Kurama hated to see on Kakashi.

"**Reina**," said Kurama very carefully, "**do not do something you will regret**."

The upturn of the corner to Kakashi's blood-red lips made Kurama shudder. "I was _lied_ to, Genkei. You, out of all people, should know how that feels like."

* * *

**Group(s) of People:**  
_Densetsu no Sannin : _Legendary Three Ninja


	5. An Update From The Author

As you can tell, this is an old series. I apologise for the delays but I am currently  
doing some hefty work on editing and finalising each chapter.  
**The Prologue** and **Chapter One** have been edited to the best degree possible  
and now **Chapter Two** has been added! Guys, for those who have read this  
in 2016, you may want to read the chapters again because the story has changed.

I am now writing **Chapter Three**. Hopefully, it will be added before the September ends.  
To those reading this and have added this their favourites and provided reviews, thank you very much.  
It lets me know that I'm doing pretty okay!

On the other hand, I will be slowing down the updates for _Love, a Complicated Emotion_  
as it's almost done (yes, I'm uploading that series here, too) :( yes, I plan to have a 20-part  
instalment but if there are special requests, then maybe I can add more than 20.

Thank you again for supporting me and this story! 11k+ reads is the  
best I've gotten and I absolutely adore all of you!

_**Love, Aniketos.**_


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